The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs on May 13 after a four-game sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who secured a 115-110 victory at Crypto.com Arena. The loss ended the Lakers’ season under head coach JJ Redick, following a regular season that saw them win 53 games and earn the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
The playoff exit is significant for both teams. For the Lakers, it marks an abrupt end to a promising campaign and raises questions about their roster’s ability to compete with top contenders. For Oklahoma City, advancing with an unbeaten record through two rounds highlights their continued dominance as defending champions.
Oklahoma City maintained control throughout the series, never allowing Los Angeles to gain momentum over four games. In Game 4, despite a late surge that gave the Lakers a brief lead in the final minute, Chet Holmgren scored a decisive dunk and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added free throws to seal victory for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points while Ajay Mitchell contributed 28 points for Oklahoma City.
Austin Reaves led Los Angeles with 27 points in Game 4. Rui Hachimura added 25 points and LeBron James recorded a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds but missed key opportunities late in the game. The sweep marks James’s first elimination in four straight games since his early career.
Redick completed his second season as head coach of the Lakers with consecutive seasons of at least fifty wins—the first time this has happened since Phil Jackson’s tenure—but could not extend their playoff run beyond round two. General manager Rob Pelinka said he was not satisfied with another early postseason exit as offseason decisions loom regarding team construction around James.
Oklahoma City advances to face either Minnesota or San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals while Los Angeles begins an offseason filled with uncertainty about its future direction.
