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Inside The Thunder

OKC Thunder, Ajay Mitchell Make More History in Game 3 Win Against Lakers

As Oklahoma City moved to 7-0 in the postseason, the team reached multiple historic milestones.
Randall Sweet|
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the second half of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the second half of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder moved to 7-0 in the 2026 postseason with a win against the Los Angeles Lakers on the road.

The May 9 victory gave OKC a 3-0 series lead against LeBron James and company, as Mark Daigneault's team is just one win away from another Western Conference Finals appearance.

This comes after the Thunder swept the Phoenix Suns in the opening round of the postseason, which was Oklahoma City's third first-round sweep in a row.

While the Lakers are without superstar Luka Doncic, the Thunder have performed well throughout the series, winning each of the first three games by at least 18 points.

Los Angeles led at halftime in Game 2 and Game 3, but were overwhelmed in the second half of each game by OKC. According to OptaSTATS, the Lakers are the first team in NBA history to lead at halftime of two consecutive postseason games while losing by a combined 40 points.

After carrying a one-point lead into halftime of Game 2, the Lakers were outscored 68-49 in the second half. In Game 3, Los Angeles led by two points at the break, and was outscored 74-49 in the final two quarters.

While the Lakers have thrown solid punches early, the Thunder's depth has ultimately been too much for a Los Angeles team that is without its best player. In Game 4, OKC could have to fend off another strong start by the Lakers, who will be playing in front of a home crowd on the brink of elimination.

Ajay Mitchell, who starred for Oklahoma City in Game 3, also made history in the 131-108 victory. The second-year guard tallied 24 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 0 turnovers while shooting 10-of-17 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range.

Mitchell became the first player in Thunder history to reach 20 points and 10 assists while recording zero turnovers in a playoff game.

Mitchell has shined throughout the series, tallying 20 points, 6 assists and 3 steals while shooting 7-of-12 from the field in Game 2, to go along with 18 points and 4 assists in Game 1.

With Jalen Williams still sidelined due to a hamstring injury suffered in the opening round of the playoffs, Mitchell has stepped into a role as one of the Thunder's primary scorers. Even when Williams returns, Mitchell will likely still be a key piece of Oklahoma City's lineup.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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