The Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the playoffs on May 12, falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-110 in Game 4. Trailing 3-0 in the series, the Lakers faced an uphill battle to avoid a sweep, but despite a competitive first half, they once again crumbled in the second half, unable to overcome the Thunder’s relentless pressure.
The game started with the Lakers taking an early lead. Jaxson Hayes scored on a putback, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a floater. The Lakers answered with a 9-0 run, and LeBron James added free throws. After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Lakers led by five. However, the Thunder stormed back in the second quarter with a 17-0 run, taking a four-point lead into halftime.
The third quarter saw the Lakers rally, with Rui Hachimura hitting a three-pointer and LeBron James adding another. The Lakers took a four-point lead into the final period. But the Thunder, led by Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, refused to back down. With the game tied late, Holmgren and Gilgeous-Alexander made key plays, and the Lakers could not hit a game-tying three in the final seconds.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points, 8 assists, and 15 free-throw attempts, making 12. Holmgren added 16 points and 9 rebounds, while Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 5 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points, and Alex Caruso added 9.
LeBron James recorded 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists, but it wasn’t enough. With this game, James recorded his 147th career playoff double-double, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain for third all-time in NBA history. Austin Reaves had 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. Rui Hachimura scored 25 points, Marcus Smart added 5, and Jaxson Hayes chipped in 18 points and 5 rebounds.
The Lakers were unable to overcome the Thunder’s depth and late-game execution, falling 115-110 and being swept 4-0 in the series.