LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have been knocked out of the NBA playoffs after the Oklahoma City Thunder completed a commanding 4-0 series sweep with a 115-110 victory in Game 4. Oklahoma City maintained its unbeaten playoff run and advanced to the Western Conference finals for a second straight season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander starred again for the Thunder, finishing with 35 points to lead his side in the decisive win.
Ajay Mitchell also made a major impact with 28 points, while Chet Holmgren added 16 points and nine rebounds as Oklahoma City closed out the series in Los Angeles.
The Lakers fought hard to avoid elimination in front of a packed home crowd at Crypto.com Arena. Austin Reaves scored 27 points, Rui Hachimura contributed 25, while LeBron James recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Despite the effort, the Lakers could not stop the Thunder’s balanced offense and strong late-game execution.
The Thunder had dominated the entire series, including a heavy 131-108 Game 3 victory that pushed the Lakers to the brink.
Oklahoma City repeatedly overwhelmed Los Angeles with explosive second-half performances and capitalized on turnovers throughout the matchup.
The elimination has now raised fresh questions about LeBron James’ future. The 41-year-old Lakers star has not confirmed whether he will return for another NBA season after completing his 23rd campaign.
Meanwhile, the Thunder move on confidently and will face either the San Antonio Spurs or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals.
