{"id":630657,"date":"2026-05-08T09:31:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T09:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/630657\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T09:31:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T09:31:09","slug":"lebron-james-lakers-staring-at-2-0-deficit-vs-undefeated-oklahoma-city-thunder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/630657\/","title":{"rendered":"LeBron James, Lakers staring at 2-0 deficit vs undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Oklahoma City Thunder remained unbeaten in the NBA play-offs after beating the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semi-finals on Thursday (7 May).<\/p>\n<p>The defending champions Thunder, who improved to 6-0 in the post-season with another stellar display of all-round <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/sports\/basketball\/\" data-tracking-payload=\"{&quot;implementation_provider&quot;:&quot;sed&quot;,&quot;content_geography&quot;:&quot;AF,AX,AL,DZ,AS,AD,AO,AI,AQ,AG,AR,AM,AW,AU,AT,AZ,BS,BH,BD,BB,BY,BE,BZ,BJ,BM,BT,BO,BQ,BA,BW,BV,BR,IO,UM,VG,VI,BN,BG,BF,BI,KH,CM,CA,CV,KY,CF,TD,CL,CN,CX,CC,CO,KM,CG,CD,CK,CR,HR,CU,CW,CY,CZ,DK,DJ,DM,DO,EC,EG,SV,GQ,ER,EE,ET,FK,FO,FJ,FI,FR,GF,PF,TF,GA,GM,GE,DE,GH,GI,GR,GL,GD,GP,GU,GT,GG,GN,GW,GY,HT,HM,VA,HN,HK,HU,IS,IN,ID,CI,IR,IQ,IE,IM,IL,IT,JM,JP,JE,JO,KZ,KE,KI,KW,KG,LA,LV,LB,LS,LR,LY,LI,LT,LU,MO,MK,MG,MW,MY,MV,ML,MT,MH,MQ,MR,MU,YT,MX,FM,MD,MC,MN,ME,MS,MA,MZ,MM,NA,NR,NP,NL,NC,NZ,NI,NE,NG,NU,NF,KP,MP,NO,OM,PK,PW,PS,PA,PG,PY,PE,PH,PN,PL,PT,PR,QA,RE,RO,RU,RW,BL,SH,KN,LC,MF,PM,VC,WS,SM,ST,SA,SN,RS,SC,SL,SG,SX,SK,SI,SB,SO,ZA,GS,KR,SS,ES,LK,SD,SR,SJ,SZ,SE,CH,SY,TW,TJ,TZ,TH,TL,TG,TK,TO,TT,TN,TR,TM,TC,TV,UG,UA,AE,GB,US,UY,UZ,VU,VE,VN,WF,EH,YE,ZM,ZW,XK&quot;,&quot;content_id&quot;:&quot;15e48420-c47f-43e5-8597-16d8663e9252&quot;,&quot;content_release_date_local_utc&quot;:&quot;2026-05-08T05:44:01.653Z&quot;,&quot;content_title&quot;:&quot;LeBron James, Lakers staring at 2-0 deficit vs undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder&quot;,&quot;tag&quot;:&quot;[\\&quot;discipline-basketball\\&quot;,\\&quot;lebron-james\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-us\\&quot;,\\&quot;newsclip\\&quot;,\\&quot;apple-news-all\\&quot;,\\&quot;gender-male\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-ca\\&quot;,\\&quot;shai-gilgeous-alexander\\&quot;,\\&quot;rui-hachimura\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-jp\\&quot;,\\&quot;shintaro-kano\\&quot;]&quot;,&quot;module_type&quot;:&quot;TextBlock&quot;,&quot;module_title&quot;:&quot;LeBron James, Lakers staring at 2-0 deficit vs undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder&quot;,&quot;section_level_1&quot;:&quot;news&quot;,&quot;section_level_2&quot;:&quot;nba-play-offs-2026-okc-game-2&quot;,&quot;discipline&quot;:&quot;discipline-basketball&quot;,&quot;odf_id&quot;:&quot;BKB&quot;,&quot;module_instance&quot;:&quot;Inline&quot;,&quot;module_id&quot;:null}\" data-tracking=\"click\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">basketball<\/a>, have never lost a play-off series after being up 2-0.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/athletes\/lebron-james\" data-tracking-payload=\"{&quot;implementation_provider&quot;:&quot;sed&quot;,&quot;content_geography&quot;:&quot;AF,AX,AL,DZ,AS,AD,AO,AI,AQ,AG,AR,AM,AW,AU,AT,AZ,BS,BH,BD,BB,BY,BE,BZ,BJ,BM,BT,BO,BQ,BA,BW,BV,BR,IO,UM,VG,VI,BN,BG,BF,BI,KH,CM,CA,CV,KY,CF,TD,CL,CN,CX,CC,CO,KM,CG,CD,CK,CR,HR,CU,CW,CY,CZ,DK,DJ,DM,DO,EC,EG,SV,GQ,ER,EE,ET,FK,FO,FJ,FI,FR,GF,PF,TF,GA,GM,GE,DE,GH,GI,GR,GL,GD,GP,GU,GT,GG,GN,GW,GY,HT,HM,VA,HN,HK,HU,IS,IN,ID,CI,IR,IQ,IE,IM,IL,IT,JM,JP,JE,JO,KZ,KE,KI,KW,KG,LA,LV,LB,LS,LR,LY,LI,LT,LU,MO,MK,MG,MW,MY,MV,ML,MT,MH,MQ,MR,MU,YT,MX,FM,MD,MC,MN,ME,MS,MA,MZ,MM,NA,NR,NP,NL,NC,NZ,NI,NE,NG,NU,NF,KP,MP,NO,OM,PK,PW,PS,PA,PG,PY,PE,PH,PN,PL,PT,PR,QA,RE,RO,RU,RW,BL,SH,KN,LC,MF,PM,VC,WS,SM,ST,SA,SN,RS,SC,SL,SG,SX,SK,SI,SB,SO,ZA,GS,KR,SS,ES,LK,SD,SR,SJ,SZ,SE,CH,SY,TW,TJ,TZ,TH,TL,TG,TK,TO,TT,TN,TR,TM,TC,TV,UG,UA,AE,GB,US,UY,UZ,VU,VE,VN,WF,EH,YE,ZM,ZW,XK&quot;,&quot;content_id&quot;:&quot;15e48420-c47f-43e5-8597-16d8663e9252&quot;,&quot;content_release_date_local_utc&quot;:&quot;2026-05-08T05:44:01.653Z&quot;,&quot;content_title&quot;:&quot;LeBron James, Lakers staring at 2-0 deficit vs undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder&quot;,&quot;tag&quot;:&quot;[\\&quot;discipline-basketball\\&quot;,\\&quot;lebron-james\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-us\\&quot;,\\&quot;newsclip\\&quot;,\\&quot;apple-news-all\\&quot;,\\&quot;gender-male\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-ca\\&quot;,\\&quot;shai-gilgeous-alexander\\&quot;,\\&quot;rui-hachimura\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-jp\\&quot;,\\&quot;shintaro-kano\\&quot;]&quot;,&quot;module_type&quot;:&quot;TextBlock&quot;,&quot;module_title&quot;:&quot;LeBron James, Lakers staring at 2-0 deficit vs undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder&quot;,&quot;section_level_1&quot;:&quot;news&quot;,&quot;section_level_2&quot;:&quot;nba-play-offs-2026-okc-game-2&quot;,&quot;discipline&quot;:&quot;discipline-basketball&quot;,&quot;odf_id&quot;:&quot;BKB&quot;,&quot;module_instance&quot;:&quot;Inline&quot;,&quot;module_id&quot;:null}\" data-tracking=\"click\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LeBron James<\/a> and the Lakers were swept by Oklahoma City 4-0 during the regular season. Game 3 is on Saturday in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p>Reigning league MVP <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/athletes\/shai-gilgeous-alexander\" target=\"_blank\" data-tracking-payload=\"{&quot;implementation_provider&quot;:&quot;sed&quot;,&quot;content_geography&quot;:&quot;AF,AX,AL,DZ,AS,AD,AO,AI,AQ,AG,AR,AM,AW,AU,AT,AZ,BS,BH,BD,BB,BY,BE,BZ,BJ,BM,BT,BO,BQ,BA,BW,BV,BR,IO,UM,VG,VI,BN,BG,BF,BI,KH,CM,CA,CV,KY,CF,TD,CL,CN,CX,CC,CO,KM,CG,CD,CK,CR,HR,CU,CW,CY,CZ,DK,DJ,DM,DO,EC,EG,SV,GQ,ER,EE,ET,FK,FO,FJ,FI,FR,GF,PF,TF,GA,GM,GE,DE,GH,GI,GR,GL,GD,GP,GU,GT,GG,GN,GW,GY,HT,HM,VA,HN,HK,HU,IS,IN,ID,CI,IR,IQ,IE,IM,IL,IT,JM,JP,JE,JO,KZ,KE,KI,KW,KG,LA,LV,LB,LS,LR,LY,LI,LT,LU,MO,MK,MG,MW,MY,MV,ML,MT,MH,MQ,MR,MU,YT,MX,FM,MD,MC,MN,ME,MS,MA,MZ,MM,NA,NR,NP,NL,NC,NZ,NI,NE,NG,NU,NF,KP,MP,NO,OM,PK,PW,PS,PA,PG,PY,PE,PH,PN,PL,PT,PR,QA,RE,RO,RU,RW,BL,SH,KN,LC,MF,PM,VC,WS,SM,ST,SA,SN,RS,SC,SL,SG,SX,SK,SI,SB,SO,ZA,GS,KR,SS,ES,LK,SD,SR,SJ,SZ,SE,CH,SY,TW,TJ,TZ,TH,TL,TG,TK,TO,TT,TN,TR,TM,TC,TV,UG,UA,AE,GB,US,UY,UZ,VU,VE,VN,WF,EH,YE,ZM,ZW,XK&quot;,&quot;content_id&quot;:&quot;15e48420-c47f-43e5-8597-16d8663e9252&quot;,&quot;content_release_date_local_utc&quot;:&quot;2026-05-08T05:44:01.653Z&quot;,&quot;content_title&quot;:&quot;LeBron James, Lakers staring at 2-0 deficit vs undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder&quot;,&quot;tag&quot;:&quot;[\\&quot;discipline-basketball\\&quot;,\\&quot;lebron-james\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-us\\&quot;,\\&quot;newsclip\\&quot;,\\&quot;apple-news-all\\&quot;,\\&quot;gender-male\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-ca\\&quot;,\\&quot;shai-gilgeous-alexander\\&quot;,\\&quot;rui-hachimura\\&quot;,\\&quot;noc-jp\\&quot;,\\&quot;shintaro-kano\\&quot;]&quot;,&quot;module_type&quot;:&quot;TextBlock&quot;,&quot;module_title&quot;:&quot;LeBron James, Lakers staring at 2-0 deficit vs undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder&quot;,&quot;section_level_1&quot;:&quot;news&quot;,&quot;section_level_2&quot;:&quot;nba-play-offs-2026-okc-game-2&quot;,&quot;discipline&quot;:&quot;discipline-basketball&quot;,&quot;odf_id&quot;:&quot;BKB&quot;,&quot;module_instance&quot;:&quot;Inline&quot;,&quot;module_id&quot;:null}\" data-tracking=\"click\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a> and Chet Holmgren scored 22 points each for the Thunder. Austin Reaves led the Lakers with a career play-off high 31 points, while the 41-year-old James added 23 points.<\/p>\n<p>The difference in bench scoring proved huge as the Thunder\u2019s depth came to the fore.<\/p>\n<p>Led by Jared McCain, who contributed 18 points, Oklahoma City\u2019s subs gave them 48 points in total. The Lakers got less than half that from their bench with 20 points.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is the next man up mentality,\u201d said Gilgeous-Alexander, who was limited to 28 minutes because of foul trouble. \u201cWe go through ups and downs all year, with injuries, guys in and out of the line-up. Doesn\u2019t faze us. Guys continue to play &#8211; and guys continue to play their strengths &#8211; to help each other out there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;ve got to be the aggressor. I feel like they were playing with more force. They were attacking harder, harder in close-outs, making quicker decisions, playing with a better sense of urgency in the first half, especially.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs long as we take care of that we should have our foot in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Lakers were furious with the officiating, mobbing the referees after the game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re down 2-0,\u201d James said. \u201cAre they still not good when he\u2019s on the floor? They\u2019re just doing what they\u2019ve been doing.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Oklahoma City Thunder remained unbeaten in the NBA play-offs after beating the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":630658,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[355,99],"class_list":["post-630657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=630657"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630657\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/630658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=630657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=630657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=630657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}