Oklahoma City

Thunder

Holmgren’s final stat line on Monday rivaled Game 3’s. Again, he took advantage of his opportunities inside on the offensive end, including a key dunk down the stretch to give OKC the lead for the final time. Holmgren also nearly did enough on the glass to come away with a double-double. The former second-overall pick failed to block a shot for the first time, but his presence was certainly felt. He finishes the series having averaged 20.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.

Mitchell, once again, put on a stellar display of basketball. On the offensive end, he missed only seven shots en route to a near-30-point performance, while his four steals reflected the type of disruptiveness he displayed on that end of the floor on Monday. He’s remained crucial to OKC’s success following Jalen Williams’ injury. After setting career-highs in points in back-to-back playoff games, Mitchell will get some rest before facing the winner of Timberwolves-Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.

Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back from an unspectacular Game 3 to log a series-high in points, ending the Lakers’ season in four games. The reigning MVP was steady throughout the win, making subtle contributions as a scorer as the game progressed. Yet, he put his foot on the gas in the third quarter, scoring 12 points, before closing the show in the final frame to end with a game-high 35 points. SGA handled the defensive schemes well and patiently picked them apart to tally eight assists. He and the Thunder will get some rest as they await the winner of Timberwolves-Spurs, which is currently tied 2-2.

Despite being without Jalen Williams (hamstring) since Game 2 of their first-round series against Phoenix, the Thunder have not skipped a beat. And they’ve got Mitchell to thank for that. The second-year guard, who was out injured for the team’s run to the title last spring, has scored at least 15 points in each of the five games he’s started this postseason. Mitchell finished Game 3 with playoff career-highs in points and assists, and he’s scored at least 20 points in three of his five starts. Oklahoma City holding a 3-0 series lead removes any urgency to get J-Dub back on the court, especially with Mitchell playing as well as he has.

Holmgren was one of seven Thunder players, five being starters, to finish the 131-108 victory in double figures. While he could not extend his streak of games with at least 20 points to four, the Thunder forward/center was once again impactful on both ends of the floor. Isaiah Hartenstein also played well, contributing 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. With Saturday’s victory, the Thunder became the first defending champion since Cleveland in 2017 to start the following postseason with seven consecutive victories.

Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t have a great game shooting the basketball, as he finished Game 3 shooting 4-of-13 from inside the arc. However, the reigning league MVP’s struggles were not an issue for Oklahoma City, which outscored the Lakers 74-49 after halftime. Game 3 played out similarly to Game 2, as the Thunder’s ability to capitalize on the Lakers’ turnovers proved decisive. Oklahoma City scored 30 points off 16 Lakers turnovers and was a plus-19 in that category. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will look to close out the series on Monday night.

On strictly two-pointers and free throws, Mitchell finished as one of three OKC players to reach 20 points in Game 2. He’s now scored at least 15 points in four of the Thunder’s six postseason games so far, making scoring outputs like Thursday’s more and more of the standard. Also notable was Mitchell’s effectiveness as a passer — he led his team in assists on the evening while committing just two turnovers in the process. Mitchell continues to fill nicely into the starting unit during Jalen Williams’ absence. He’ll likely remain an important piece as the series progresses.

As he’s done so many times throughout his career, the former second-overall pick had a massive two-way impact in the Thunder’s victory. Offensively, he shot the three-pointer very well, and then punished the Lakers in the interior and on the offensive glass. With a solid number of points at the charity stripe, as well, Holmgren ultimately tied with a team-high in points. He was arguably even more impressive on the defensive end, where his six stocks led all players in Thursday’s contest. Holmgren is averaging 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.5 steals per game so far in this series, and has a chance to put together another strong outing in Game 3.

Partly due to foul trouble, the reigning MVP logged just 28 minutes in the Game 2 victory for the Thunder. Still, he made the most of his time on the floor, efficiently working his way past the 20-point mark while navigating against the Lakers’ double teams and defensive strategies. He cut back on his turnovers, after committing seven in Game 1, and looked more comfortable overall. SGA still hasn’t come close to logging the type of numbers he did throughout the regular season, or even in the first-round win over the Suns. Yet, the Thunder’s other players have provided plenty on both ends of the floor to help keep OKC in control of the series. Gilgeous-Alexander will have a chance for bigger numbers in Game 3.

Mitchell continues to play well as a starter in place of the injured Jalen Williams. He scored in double figures for a fourth straight game before finishing as one of the Thunder’s top scorers on the evening. Mitchell was also a willing facilitator in the victory, which helped him finish among OKC’s most impactful players by plus-minus. He’ll likely remain in the starting unit for as long as Williams is sidelined, allowing him more opportunities to log strong performances.