The Oklahoma City Thunder opened their playoff series in dominant fashion, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 108–90 to take a 1–0 lead. The defending champions delivered a balanced performance on both ends of the floor, with strong defense limiting the Lakers to their lowest playoff score since 2021.
LeBron James led all scorers with 27 points for Los Angeles, while Chet Holmgren powered the Thunder with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell added 18 points each, highlighting Oklahoma City’s depth. Lakers coach JJ Redick pointed to costly mistakes as a key issue, emphasizing the need for improvement. The absence of Luka Doncic, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, remains a concern heading into game two.
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons secured a 111–101 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cade Cunningham scored 23 points, supported by Tobias Harris with 20, while Donovan Mitchell and James Harden led Cleveland in a losing effort.
