The Lakers and Thunder faced off in Game 4, with both teams sticking to the same starting lineups from the previous three games. The Lakers sent out LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes. The Thunder countered with Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Donovan Mitchell, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
From the opening tip, Mitchell and Gilgeous-Alexander repeatedly targeted Reaves on defense, scoring with ease on three straight possessions. But the Lakers didn’t fold. Hachimura stepped up, hitting a turnaround jumper over tight defense to keep the score close.
Reaves then teamed up with James and Hayes for a 9-0 run, combining inside drives and outside shots to take the lead. The Thunder responded quickly as Gilgeous-Alexander, even when double-teamed, finished a smooth pull-up jumper to steady his team.
Late in the first quarter, James dominated on both ends, blocking a shot and then hitting a fadeaway jumper to give the Lakers a slim lead.
The second quarter brought a dramatic shift. Former Laker Alex Caruso exploded, hitting two three-pointers and adding a fast-break layup with Mitchell for eight straight points, forcing a timeout. The Thunder didn’t let up, using a mix of three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and baseline drives to rattle off a 17-0 run, flipping the score and opening a large lead.
The Lakers fell apart. James missed multiple shots, and the team went 0-for-9 from the field in the first five minutes of the quarter before Hachimura finally connected on a lob to Hayes for a dunk to break the drought.
Los Angeles spent the rest of the half playing catch-up. Worse, near the end of the quarter, James stepped on Hayes’ foot and twisted his ankle, but he was able to limp back to the locker room under his own power.
At halftime, the Thunder led 49-? after their dominant second quarter.
Coming out of the break, the Thunder kept the pressure on. Mitchell hit a mid-range jumper, then stole the ball and finished a fast-break layup for four straight points. Gilgeous-Alexander’s mid-range game was on point as he converted an and-one. The Lakers began to unravel, committing four consecutive turnovers as the game slipped away. Reaves alone accounted for seven turnovers by the midway point of the third quarter.
In desperate need of a spark, Hachimura and James each knocked down a three-pointer to stop the bleeding.
Reaves then made amends with a brilliant long pass to Hayes for an alley-oop dunk that fired up the team.
The Lakers showed poise in adversity, with their guards hitting three-pointers to stay within striking distance. They outscored the Thunder 39-31 in the third quarter, the first time in the series they had won a quarter.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth battle. Jared McCain hit a corner three to keep the Lakers close.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell combined for eight points, including a dazzling driving and-one finish.
The game stayed tight until the final minute. With 40 seconds left, Hachimura and Smart came through with a 3+1 and a 2+1, giving the Lakers a 110-109 lead, seemingly putting victory within reach.
But Chet Holmgren slammed home a putback dunk to tie the game.
James then missed a crucial layup, forcing the Lakers to foul Gilgeous-Alexander, who calmly sank both free throws to put the Thunder up by three.
Reaves’ potential game-tying three-pointer missed at the buzzer, and the Thunder escaped with a win, completing a 4-0 sweep.
The Thunder finished the regular season and playoffs against the Lakers with an 8-0 record, outscoring them by an average of 22.6 points per game.
The Lakers were unable to get a win in this lopsided series, as Luka Dončić remained sidelined.
This marked LeBron James’ fourth career playoff sweep (previously vs. the Spurs in 2007, the Warriors in 2018, and the Nuggets in 2023).
After the game, James shook hands with opponents and walked silently to the locker room. His somber exit closed the door on his 23rd NBA season.
Earlier in the season, speculation had swirled that this could be James’ “last dance.” His wife, Savannah, had publicly expressed a desire for him to focus more on family. When asked about a potential 24th season, James was noncommittal:
“Honestly, I don’t have an answer right now. We just lost a game, and I’m still processing the disappointment. I’m not sure what the future holds. I’m going to go home, spend time with my family, think it over, and talk things through. When I have a decision, everyone will know.”
