The Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away from the Western Conference finals, and they've done it in dominant fashion. After a 131-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, the Thunder have taken a commanding 3-0 series lead—and they've been virtually unstoppable.
"They've kicked our ass three straight games," summed up the sentiment from the Lakers' camp. And the numbers back it up. The Thunder are now 7-0 in the postseason and an incredible 27-1 since February in games where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander suits up.
Game 3 had a different feel early on. The Lakers, playing in front of their home crowd, actually held a 59-57 lead at halftime. It looked like Los Angeles might finally make this a series. But then the third quarter happened. Oklahoma City opened the second half with a blistering 21-6 run, and while the Lakers briefly cut the deficit to five, the Thunder simply shifted into another gear—one that no team in the NBA seems able to match right now.
By the end, Los Angeles looked exhausted. They emptied their bench with 3:38 remaining, effectively waving the white flag. The Thunder outscored them 74-49 in the second half. Luka Dončić's absence has loomed large over this series, but even with that context, Oklahoma City's performance has been nothing short of dominant.
What's particularly impressive is how the Thunder keep winning even when their superstar doesn't have a vintage night. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 23 points on 7-of-20 shooting—solid, but not otherworldly. It didn't matter. Six other Thunder players scored in double figures, and the team shot a scorching 56.4% from the field and 44.7% from three-point range while committing just nine turnovers.
AJay Mitchell was the breakout star of Game 3, setting a new postseason career-high with 24 points. Chet Holmgren continued to be a matchup nightmare, and the Thunder's depth simply overwhelmed a Lakers team that couldn't keep up.
Now, Oklahoma City heads back to Los Angeles for Game 4 with a chance to sweep. No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit. For the Thunder, it's not just about closing out the series—it's about sending a message that they're the team to beat in the Western Conference.
Game 4 tips off Monday at 10:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video. If you're a fan of basketball at its highest level, you won't want to miss it.