The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to extend one of the most dominant playoff starts in NBA history when they face the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3.
OKC leads the Western Conference semifinal series 2-0, and Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The Thunder have outscored the Lakers by 18 points per game through the first two matchups, with NBA.com listing Oklahoma City’s series scoring average at 116.5 points compared to 98.5 for Los Angeles.
That is the immediate stakes layer. The bigger historical layer is that Oklahoma City, the reigning NBA champion, entered Game 3 at 6-0 this postseason and with a chance to join a short list of defending champions to start a playoff run 7-0 or better. NBA.com noted after the 2025 Finals that the Thunder won the franchise’s first championship of the OKC era behind Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Oklahoma City is the FOURTH team in NBA history to start a Playoffs 6-0 with a +100 score differential or better:
▪ 2026 Thunder (6-0, +105) ▪ 2009 Cavaliers (6-0, +109) ▪ 1987 Lakers (6-0, +131) ▪ 1985 Lakers (6-0, +105)
NBA Playoffs
Is Jalen Williams Playing for the Thunder Against the Lakers?
Jalen Williams is out for Game 3, according to the NBA’s official injury report. Williams is out with a left hamstring strain, while Thunder big man Thomas Sorber is also out while recovering from ACL surgery.
That matters because this is exactly the kind of series where Williams’ versatility would usually be central. He gives Oklahoma City another creator, another wing defender and another player who can keep the offense from leaning too heavily on Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder’s response, however, has been the story of the series. Chet Holmgren currently leading Oklahoma City at 23.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game through two games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had modest stats so far — 20 points, 4 assists, and two rebounds on average vs. the Lakers — but the Thunder are dominating despite him not hitting his usual MVP-levels.
That is the Thunder’s clearest argument entering Game 3: they are not just beating the Lakers with star power. They are beating them with size, defense, depth and lineup waves that have made it hard for Los Angeles to find a safe stretch.
What Channel Is Thunder-Lakers on Tonight?
Thunder-Lakers Game 3 is on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 9.
The game is the first of two scheduled in Los Angeles, with Game 4 set for Monday, May 11, at 10:30 p.m. ET. If necessary, Game 5 shifts back to Oklahoma City on Wednesday, May 13.
For Thunder fans, Game 3 is more than a chance to take a commanding lead. It is also a chance to keep pressure on a Lakers team already dealing with a major offensive absence.
Is Luka Doncic Playing Against the Thunder?
Luka Doncic remains out with a left hamstring strain, according to the Lakers’ Game 3 injury report.
Doncic sustained a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on April 2 in Oklahoma City and he was originally given an eight-week recovery estimate. Doncic told reporters he had started running but had not yet participated in contact drills.
Doncic’s absence changes the Lakers’ ceiling. He averaged a league-high 33.5 points along with 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds during the regular season.
Without him, the Lakers need LeBron James to carry a larger creation burden while also needing more from Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and the rest of the rotation. That is a tough formula against a Thunder team that has been punishing every turnover and empty possession.
LeBron James Remains the Lakers’ Biggest Counter to OKC’s Historic Start
LeBron James is still the Lakers’ central stabilizer. He is Los Angeles’ series leader through two games at 25.0 points and 6.0 assists per game.
That is impressive on its own. It becomes more notable because James is doing it at 41, in a series where Los Angeles is missing Doncic and facing a Thunder team playing like a defending champion with no championship hangover.
The Lakers’ problem is that James’ production has not been enough to slow Oklahoma City’s waves.
That is a brutal sign for the Lakers. Usually, the goal against a superstar-led team is to survive the star’s best stretches and win the bench minutes. Oklahoma City has flipped that math.
For the Thunder, Game 3 is a chance to turn a strong series lead into something close to control. For the Lakers, it is a chance to make this a real series before the historical odds become overwhelming.
For fans searching for the clean version: Thunder-Lakers is on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET, Jalen Williams is out, Luka Doncic is out and LeBron James remains the Lakers’ best hope of stopping Oklahoma City’s run toward a 7-0 playoff start.
Thunder Can Join Rare NBA History vs. Lakers With LeBron, Luka Questions Looming