Thunder sweep Lakers after stunning ending to Game 4

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t just walk into Crypto.com Arena and win on Monday night; they might have ended an era. In a pulse-pounding 115-110 victory, OKC finished a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, sending LeBron James into a summer filled with massive questions.

It wasn’t a cakewalk. Entering the fourth quarter, the Thunder trailed 84-80 and looked uncharacteristically rattled. Surprisingly, Jaxson Hayes became the catalyst for Los Angeles, providing a massive spark off the bench. Hayes finished with 18 points and five rebounds, briefly making it look like the Lakers would actually force a Game 5 back in Oklahoma City.

As the clock ticked toward midnight in L.A., the Thunder started to unravel. They lost their composure, overcommitting on defense and gambling for steals that left Lakers shooters wide open. However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander refused to let the season’s momentum slip.

The MVP candidate was clinical, dropping a game-high 35 points to go along with eight assists. With Jalen Williams sidelined due to injury, rookie sensation Ajay Mitchell stepped into the spotlight and delivered a playoff career-high 28 points and four steals. Mitchell’s transition scoring during a dominant 22-10 fourth-quarter run effectively broke the Lakers’ back.

On the other side, it was a night of “what ifs.” Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 27 points and seven rebounds, but his eight turnovers proved fatal in a game decided by five points. Rui Hachimura stayed hot with 25 points, while LeBron James gave everything he had in what might be his final outing in purple and gold, tallying 24 points and 12 rebounds.

Chet Holmgren finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, including a clutch dunk with 32.8 seconds left to ice the game. The Lakers fought, but 19 turnovers were too much to overcome against the top-seeded Thunder. OKC stays perfect this postseason, and they’re heading home with a lot of momentum.