Thunder advances to Conference Finals

By Lithira Ekanayaka

After New York Knicks’ 4-0 sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, the Conference Semifinals of the 2026 NBA season saw yet another 4-0 sweep as the Oklahoma City Thunder outclassed the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, completely outplayed the Lakers throughout the series, extending their playoff run this year to 8-0 without losing a game in the process. 

In the first round of the playoffs, they overcame the Phoenix Suns, led by Devin Booker, in an easy 4-0 sweep. With strong and record-breaking performances, the Thunder looks poised for a repeat this season. The Thunder will now move on to the Western Conference Finals, where they will play the winner of the Western Conference Semifinals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

OKC Thunder started the series with a win at home, outscoring the Lakers 108-90 in the series opener. Games 2 and 3 were complete blowouts as the Thunder defeated the Lakers 125-107 and 131-108, closing both games with double-digit leads. Despite a closely fought battle, OKC Thunder players were able to win Game 4 and seal the sweep, owing to their clutch performance during the final minutes of the game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the highest scorer for the Thunder, scoring 98 points in the series at an average of 24.5 points per game. While he scored 18, 22 and 23 points respectively in the first three games of the series, he exploded for 35 points in Game 4.

The seven-foot centre Chet Holmgren was the second-highest scorer for the Thunder with 80 points in total, averaging 20.0 points per game. In the four games, he scored 24 points, 22 points 18 points and 16 points respectively.

41-year-old LeBron James was the scoring leader for the Lakers, scoring 93 points in the series at an average of 23.2 points per game (Game 1 – 27 points, Game 2 – 23 points, Game 3 – 19 points and Game 4 – 24 points). The absence of star player Luka Dončić, who missed the series due to a severe Grade 2 hamstring strain, was a deciding factor in the Lakers’ defeat.

LeBron James’ future, after competing in the NBA for an unprecedented 23 years, will be the biggest storyline of this offseason, with him publicly stating his uncertainty about playing for the Lakers next season and hinting at a possible retirement.