With the Los Angeles Lakers beating the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of their first-round matchup, they have advanced to face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, and their upcoming playoff schedule has been revealed.
Though the Thunder advanced with a quick 4-0 sweep of the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers had a much closer series, as after taking a 3-0 lead, they opened the door for a potentially historic Rockets comeback.
However, the Lakers took the victory and are moving on, thanks to a strong series from LeBron James and the supporting cast, while also seeing Austin Reaves return from his injury in Game 5.
Los Angeles has now advanced to the second round of the playoffs for just the third time in seven years.
Lakers Vs Thunder Schedule For Second-Round Series
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – APRIL 02: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers brings the ball up court during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
With their Game 6 win over Houston, the Lakers will now play the Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
Their schedule could have looked a lot different, however, after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their Game 6 to the Toronto Raptors and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic in Game 6 of that series, Los Angeles was given a few days of rest. If Cleveland and Orlando were to have won their respective Friday night matchups, and the Lakers were to have won, their second-round campaign would have started sooner.
But with things seemingly going in favor of Los Angeles, they have now been given a few extra days of rest and recovery, which they’ll likely need against the defending champions.
With that said, here’s what the Lakers vs Thunder second-round playoff schedule will look like:
Game 1 on May 5
Game 2 on May 7
Game 3 on May 9
Game 4 on May 11
Game 5 (if necessary) on May 13
Game 6 (if necessary) on May 16
Game 7 (if necessary) on May 18
Game 1: Tuesday, May 5 in OKC Game 2: Thursday, May 7 in OKC Game 3: Saturday, May 9 in LA Game 4: Monday, May 11 in LA Game 5*: Wednesday, May 13 in OKC Game 6*: Saturday, May 16 in LA Game 7*: Monday, May 18 IN OKC
*If necessary.
If the Lakers had won Game 6 against Houston, but the other two Eastern Conference series were closed out on Friday by each leading team, things for their series would have looked a little different. Game 1 against OKC would have been on May 3, while Game 2 would have been on May 5, Game 3 on May 9, and with the same schedule going forward. Instead, that doesn’t matter, and the Lakers are getting a few much-needed extra days of rest.
Is Luka Doncic Coming Back For The Lakers vs Thunder Series?
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 31: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers makes a slam dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena on March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
The Thunder have a dominant recent history over the Lakers as they won each of their four matchups this season by large margins, and have won six of the last seven times the two sides have faced off.
However, with Jalen Williams of OKC currently out with a hamstring strain, the door is certainly open for Los Angeles to challenge the reigning champions.
Additionally, a question that has loomed over the Lakers throughout their playoff run and the last month in general is the question of Luka Doncic‘s injury status.
Doncic has been out since April 2 with a grade 2 hamstring strain he suffered against the Thunder. The star is officially out indefinitely with the injury, but there has been mixed reporting on when he could return to the court.
While Top NBA insider Shams Charania has given back-and-forth reports on a potential Doncic return in the series, but he most recently said the guard will likely miss the start, but could return at some point.
He was initially ruled out for four to six weeks, and the Lakers vs Thunder series would be in that time frame. Still, while many believe Doncic will be able to come back at some point in the second round, that remains to be seen.
Regarding other points in the series, James and Reaves will be the key factors for the Lakers, but like against the Rockets, they’ll need additional support from Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton as long as Doncic is out.
For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains their key to their success with his scoring efficiency and clutch-time prowess. They’ll also need help from Chet Holmgren and the rest of their supporting cast, but without Williams, it could come as a tough task against a Lakers team that has been playing its best basketball since March.
Still, if the two teams’ history or the sports books say anything, it’s that Oklahoma City is the favorite to beat Los Angeles. While that remains to be seen, the second-round playoff schedule is out, so it’s now known when this big-time series will take place.
Lakers vs Thunder Second-Round Playoff Schedule Revealed