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Thunder Sweep Lakers, Advance to West Finals

5/12/2026

50 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Thunder Sweep Lakers

Oklahoma City Thunder beat Los Angeles Lakers 115-110 on May 11, 2026, completing a sweep and moving to the Western Conference Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led with 35 points and eight assists while Ajay Mitchell added 28 points.
Chet Holmgren contributed 16 points, nine rebounds and a decisive dunk.
The win gave Oklahoma City an 8-0 playoff run and set up a Western Conference Finals against the Spurs or Timberwolves winner.

Summary

Mitchell Sets Record

Donovan Mitchell scored 39 points in the second half, tying 1987 playoff record for most points in a half.
Cleveland posted a 24-0 run, the longest playoff spurt since Minnesota’s 2024 semifinal streak and a franchise high.
The Cavs are 6-0 at home and 0-6 on the road in the 2026 playoffs.
James Harden logged his 40th playoff double-double with 24 points, 11 assists and a perfect 9-for-9 free-throw line.

History

Historical Context

In 1987, Michael Jordan sparked the Bulls’ playoff surge, a performance era defined by his NBA-record 38 playoff games of 40 + points and eight 50-point outings. Six decades later, the Oklahoma City Thunder opened the 2026 postseason with an 8-0 run highlighted by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 35-point game, echoing Jordan’s momentum-driven dominance. Both bursts illustrate how single-player explosions can reshape conference narratives.

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Thunder Sweep Lakers

Oklahoma City Thunder beat Los Angeles Lakers 115-110 on May 11, 2026, completing a sweep and moving to the Western Conference Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led with 35 points and eight assists while Ajay Mitchell added 28 points.
Chet Holmgren contributed 16 points, nine rebounds and a decisive dunk.
The win gave Oklahoma City an 8-0 playoff run and set up a Western Conference Finals against the Spurs or Timberwolves winner.

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