Join our FREE personalized newsletter for news, trends, and insights that matter to everyone in America

Newsletter
New

Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 4 Preview: Is This It For L.a.?

Card image cap

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 09, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Now on the brink of elimination, the Los Angeles Lakers look to avoid being swept in Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

When: 7:30 p.m. PT, May 7

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Prime Video

Unless the Lakers have a miracle in them to come back from a 3-0 series deficit, this series feels pretty much over. No matter what adjustment the Lakers come up with, what’s been established is that they’re simply not better than the Thunder.

And that’s why Los Angeles is on the verge of being swept — unless they have something to say about it.

In order to keep their season alive on Monday, the Lakers have to do something they haven’t done in this series: outplay the Thunder. This means LeBron James and Austin Reaves have to give more than what they already have in the last three games and hope most of their supporting cast play extraordinarily well.

This is what James and Reaves pretty much implied after Game 3. But the question is, will they follow through?

“We gotta give everything… everything and more to beat a team like this.”

LeBron James talks about the Thunder’s versatility, the Lakers’ third-quarter struggles and the mindset heading into Game 4. pic.twitter.com/qRNvg2Rokf

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) May 10, 2026

Austin Reaves on the Lakers' mindset for Monday's Game 4, with LAL down 0-3 to the Thunder, a deficit no team in NBA history has come back from:

"Just come and compete. There's a bunch of guys in the locker room that are competitors. Basically the message after the game was… pic.twitter.com/6L7jb3A7wl

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) May 10, 2026

Over the years in the playoffs, there have been times when the Lakers let go of the rope — remember the Nuggets series in 2023 — simply because they couldn’t compete anymore. They can do that on Monday, too, but it’ll be up to them.

This season has obviously not been perfect for the Lakers, but if there are two things they have consistently done, it’s compete to the best of their abilities and rise to the occasion. That’s why it’ll honestly be a surprise if this team doesn’t go down swinging. They owe it to themselves at least to keep fighting until the final buzzer.

Whether fighting means controlling the paint, stepping up their defense, especially against the Thunder’s role players — looking at Ajay Mitchell — or simply coming out stronger in the third quarter, this is the game where the Lakers throw everything they have at OKC and let desperation take over.

Let’s see if that works for the purple and gold and if they can live to fight another day on Monday.

Notes and Updates

  • For the Lakers’ injury report, only Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) is out.
  • As for the Thunder, Jalen Williams (left hamstring strain) and Thomas Sorber (ACL surgery recovery) will not suit up.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Back to Listing
credit: 
Popular Products