Oklahoma City

Thunder

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.

Holgren was OKC’s standout performer on both ends of the floor in Game 1. Offensively, he shot the ball well overall and drained both of his three-point attempts, while doing a decent job on the offensive glass. Additionally, he led all players in blocks for the game and added a steal to further highlight his defensive dominance on Tuesday. Holmgren provided plenty of issues for Los Angeles and will have a chance to do so again in Game 2 on Thursday.

It was a relatively quiet night for the reigning Finals MVP, who did not reach the 20-point mark on Tuesday. He also failed to convert a three-pointer in the win, and his unspectacular night was underscored by a seven-turnover performance. SGA never truly found a rhythm on the offensive end, but still finished as OKC’s leader in assists on the evening. He’ll have another crack at this Lakers defense on Thursday when the Thunder try to take a 2-0 series lead.

Holmgren was excellent in Game 4 with 24 points, 12 rebounds, two three-pointers and two steals. The 23-year-old center was +21 in 34 minutes as the Thunder took Game 4 by nine points. OKC won every game in the series by at least nine points. The Thunder are on the fast track to repeating as champions with a first round sweep of the Suns.

Gilgeous-Alexander put on a show again as he continued to dominate the Suns in this series. Over the last three games, the 27-year-old point guard 36.7 points and 8.3 assists while shooting 63.3 percent from the field. 41.7 percent from behind the three-point line and 90.6 percent from the free throw line. With the Thunder advancing, they’ll take on the winner of the Rockets and Lakers series.

Joe has rejoined the Thunder after missing Saturday’s Game 3 victory for personal reasons. He’ll provide additional depth on the wings as Oklahoma City continues without the injured Jalen Williams (hamstring).

Jalen Williams’ absence due to a strained hamstring did not result in more shot attempts for Holmgren in Game 3. In fact, his attempts were cut in half compared to Game 2 on Wednesday. The good news is that the 7-foot-1 forward/center provided three defensive contributions and seven rebounds in 29 minutes on the floor. The Thunder may not need much offense from Holmgren to close out the Suns, but the competition will get stronger as the team advances.