Thunder Game Tonight brings Game 4 of the second-round series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers, with Oklahoma City a 10.5-point favorite and still unbeaten in the playoffs. The Thunder have won all seven games they have played this postseason, and every victory has come by nine points or more.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the charge for a team that has looked overwhelming from the start. In this series, the Thunder have outscored the Lakers by an average of 26 points a game, and their average margin of victory in the playoffs overall is 21 points. That kind of dominance is why some around the league already see Oklahoma City as the team to beat again.
Danny Parkins captured the mood by saying the matchup tonight is a disappointing second-round battle and that the Thunder are going to win the championship unless something changes with their health. He also pointed to the numbers behind the run: Oklahoma City is 7-0 in the playoffs and has won every game by nine or more points.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have had some success drawing whistles. They have shot more free throws than their opponent in two of the three games in this series. But the underlying possession battle has gone the other way. The Lakers have driven the ball 120 times in the series, while the Thunder have done it 148 times, a gap that helps explain how Oklahoma City keeps dictating the pace and pressure.
The tension in this matchup is simple. The Lakers have leaned on free throws and pressure at the rim, while the Thunder have answered with more drives, more scoring and no sign of a slip. If that pattern holds in Game 4, Oklahoma City will leave the night one step closer to a return trip to the NBA Finals and another championship run that now looks built on more than just momentum.
