Oklahoma City took control in Los Angeles and never let go. The Thunder beat the Lakers 131-108 at Crypto.com Arena in front of 19,057 fans, pulling away after halftime to claim a commanding road win in the Western Conference semifinals.

Thunder turn the screws after the break

The visitors led for 40:15 and by as many as 27. After a tight first half that saw the Lakers win the second quarter 34-26, Oklahoma City dominated the second half 74-49. The fourth quarter told the story, with the Thunder winning it 41-29 while cleaning up the glass and finding open threes.

Ajay Mitchell runs the show

Ajay Mitchell led all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting and dished 10 assists without a turnover. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 23 points, 9 assists and 2 blocks, and Chet Holmgren posted 18 points on 64 percent shooting with 9 rebounds. Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe chipped in a combined 28 points on eight made threes that stretched the Lakers defense.

Lakers’ bright spots, but too many giveaways

Rui Hachimura knocked down five threes and finished with 21 points. LeBron James had 19 points and 8 assists, and Austin Reaves added 17 points and 9 assists. Still, Los Angeles committed 16 turnovers to Oklahoma City’s 9, and the Thunder turned 12 steals into easy transition looks that changed the rhythm.

What the numbers say

Los Angeles got to the line more, 18-of-25 against 8-of-10, but it was not enough to offset Oklahoma City’s shooting and depth. On Sofascore, Mitchell earned the highest Sofascore Rating in the game, with Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren close behind. For live NBA scores, advanced stats and every Sofascore Rating, follow the action on Sofascore.