Apr 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) smiles after scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

On Tuesday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up its regular season series. These two seem destined to meet in the NBA Playoffs in a matter of weeks, and this game felt like an appetizer for the oncoming entree.

After Sunday’s lopsided loss to the Lakers, the Thunder came out with more firepower and intensity than they have shown in the past two games. These two teams put on a tough shot making clinic in the opening frame and remained deadlined, 43-43, after the first 12 minutes.

Neither team could miss fire in the first quarter, as the Lakers poured in nine threes at a 69% clip to put a nicely tied bow on the first quarter. The Thunder turned in seven triples in its own right on 63% shooting from distance. This continued a trend from Sunday’s game where Los Angeles made over half its threes.

Oklahoma City’s secondary unit, spearheaded by lockdown defense and third-year forward Jalen Williams, was able to swell a 10-point lead in the second frame and maintain an arm’s distance between the two teams for the entire period.

At intermission, the game sat 80-72, in favor of the Thunder. Oklahoma City had already witnessed four players crack double-figures led by superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 21 as Williams and defensive ace Lu Dort chipped in 17 each. second-year big man Chet Holmgren was the fourth to reach the mark posting 10 points in the first half.

The two sides remained hot with Oklahoma City turning in 64/55/50 shooting splits matched by the Lakers 53/57/86 splits. The difference makers proved to be the rebounding and turnover column as the Thunder won second chances points 12-6 in the first 24 minutes and forced 11 Laker turnovers in that span leading to an 8-2 edge in the fast break column.

The purple and gold quickly got back on track in the third period, slicing the Thunder lead to two points before a Mark Daigneault timeout at the 7:15 mark of the frame. That did not stop the bleeding as the Lakers came back to grow a load of their own, 90-86.

A Luka Doncic technical foul couldn’t turn the tide either for the Thunder, as the Lakers grew six point lead before another Daigneault timeout. The Thunder had a strong close to the third frame, only trailing by one point entering the final 12 minutes of regulation. It was Gilgeous-Alexander that led the way, posting 30 points by that spot of the game.

Aaron Wiggins, who has labored since returning from an Achilles issue, canned a massive 3 to give OKC on the first play of the final frame. Cason Wallace joined him in hitting a triple of his own and the Thunder sat with a 103-102 lead.

In a showing of how important this game is for Oklahoma City, its MVP changed its rotational pattern to return at the 9:00 minute mark of the fourth quarter, rather than around the 7:30 mark in a usual outting. At that time, Oklahoma City was clinging to a 107-105 lead after LeBron James split a pair of free throw’s.

The Lakers created a 108-107 advantage before Doncic was tossed from the game after collected his second technical. He finished over Isaiah Hartenstein for a tough bucket before the officials tossed him.

Gilgeous-Alexander stepped to the line and tied the game up at 108-all. Jared Vanderbilt’s technical foul re-gave Oklahoma City a one point advantage in what remained a back-and-forth game.

That’s win the Thunder went on a run, to grow an eventual 120-112 lead with just 5:30 minutes left and Doncic out of the game.

Oklahoma City put up an avalanche 18-5 run to take a 129-115 lead with under three minutes to play in the contest. That was all she wrote as it was all over but the crying for Los Angeles, who offered one last desperate attempt at dominance by Vanderbilt –– who was already hit with a technical foul –– letting out more frustration with a flagrant foul on Jalen Williams.

That cleared the benches for the two sides as the Thunder won the game –- and regular season series.

The Thunder ended the contest on a 24-7 run before the reserves checked in and marched its way to its 65th win of the season.

Gilgeous-Alexander ifinished with 42 points in a performance that should stamp his MVP campaign as Williams added 26 more, Dort put up 17 points, Holmgren turned in 14 points and Wallace tossed in 11 off the bench.

Published 16 Minutes Ago|Modified 10:47 PM EDT