The Lakers fought valiantly in the absence of Luka Doncic but were ultimately swept by the Thunder in a nail-biting contest. Meanwhile, a spectacular performance by Donovan Mitchell, highlighted by an NBA record, allowed the Cavaliers to tie their series against the Detroit Pistons.
A masterful display from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell stunned the Lakers, who had briefly taken the lead late in the game after a dramatic play. However, the reigning champions remained composed, while perplexing coaching decisions from JJ Redick on the Lakers’ side raised many questions.
The Pistons, after a disappointing showing from their star players, failed to capitalize on a crucial opportunity against the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell, after a slow start, delivered an unforgettable NBA-record-setting performance to level the series.
Los Angeles Lakers (W4) — Oklahoma City Thunder (W1) 110:115 — Series: 0-4
The Lakers are out! Los Angeles lost the fourth game against the Thunder, marking the closest they have come to a victory in the series. With just two minutes remaining, Head Coach JJ Redick’s team trailed 103:109, but a spectacular four-point play and an and-one by Marcus Smart turned the game around with only 41 seconds left on the clock.
Chet Holmgren, who had committed fouls on both plays, responded with a dunk to put OKC up 111:110. On the ensuing possession, LeBron James’s short-range attempt missed, and the Lakers hesitated to intentionally foul. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander calmly sank his free throws with twelve seconds remaining, extending OKC’s lead to three.
After a timeout, the Lakers surprised with their lineup. Maxi Kleber entered the game for the first time, while Hachimura, who was the Lakers’ best three-point shooter on the night (4/8 3FG), surprisingly started on the bench. Instead, Austin Reaves quickly took a deep three-pointer, which fell short. The Thunder secured the rebound, sealed the game from the free-throw line, and completed the sweep.
For the reigning champions, who continue their undefeated playoff run, the reigning MVP was the standout player. SGA amassed 35 points (11/22 FG, 12/15 FT) and 8 assists. His backcourt partner, Ajay Mitchell, also played exceptionally well, scoring ten of his 28 points (12/19 FG) in the final quarter as a replacement for the injured Jalen Williams.
Holmgren narrowly missed a double-double with 16 points and 9 rebounds, while Jared McCain (13, 3/8 3FG) provided valuable support off the bench. Despite foul trouble, Isaiah Hartenstein filled the stat sheet with 5 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in 28 minutes, boasting the game’s best plus-minus rating at +30.
The Lakers, still without Luka Doncic, saw their remaining stars fight against elimination. Reaves recorded 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, while LeBron, potentially in his final NBA game, added 24 points and 12 rebounds. The ‘King’ had intentionally kept his future plans after the season ambiguous in recent months.
On this night, he could once again appreciate Hachimura’s shooting (25 points, 9/15 FG) and a surprisingly strong performance from Jaxson Hayes (18 points, 6/8 FG). LeBron’s son, Bronny, did not play.
As the Lakers head into their summer break, the Thunder are set to face the Western Conference Finals. Their opponent will be determined between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves, with the series currently tied at 2-2. Victor Wembanyama is expected to return for Game 5 after his disciplinary incident.
Cleveland Cavaliers (E4) — Detroit Pistons (E1) 112:103 — Series: 2-2
At halftime, the outlook was grim for the Cavaliers and Donovan Mitchell. ‘Spida’ had a mere four points, and his Cavs trailed 52:56 heading into the locker room.
However, the Cavaliers were unstoppable in the third quarter. They scored 24 points in the first six minutes, while the Pistons registered zero. This marked the longest run in Cleveland’s playoff history and proved to be the turning point of the game, allowing the Cavs to tie the series.
The man of the match was Mitchell, who was equally relentless in the second half. He scored 39 points in the final 24 minutes – a shared NBA postseason record. However, with 28 seconds left, the guard missed a free throw, narrowly missing sole possession of the record, and now stands alongside Eric ‘Sleepy’ Floyd (1987) at the top. In total, Mitchell finished with 43 points (13/26 FG, 4/12 3FG, 13/15 FT), 5 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Backcourt partner James Harden is also finding his rhythm in the series, recording his 40th career playoff double-double with 24 points and 11 assists. Evan Mobley delivered a strong all-around performance, tallying 17 points, 8 rebounds (4 offensive), 5 assists, 3 steals, and 5 blocks. Dennis Schröder (7 points), coming off the bench, was the team’s fourth-highest scorer behind Jarrett Allen (9). The German captain shot well (3/4 FG) but had the Cavaliers’ worst plus-minus rating at -14.
On the defensive end, the Cavs limited Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham to under 20 points for the first time in these playoffs, with him scoring 19 points (7/16 FG) and committing 5 turnovers despite 6 assists. Co-star Jalen Duren struggled even more, managing only 8 points and committing as many turnovers (4) as field goals made (4/8). In the entire regular season, he had only five single-digit scoring games in 70 appearances; in the postseason, this has happened five times in just eleven games.
Tobias Harris (16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) and Caris LeVert off the bench performed much better. The backup guard scored 24 points and was instrumental in a 23:5 run by the Pistons that quickly erased an early 5:16 deficit. While Detroit held better shooting percentages from the field throughout the game, they also committed 20 turnovers and made only ten three-pointers, whereas the Cavs connected on 14 long-range shots.
The biggest difference, however, was the free throws. Detroit attempted only twelve free throws, while Cleveland went to the line 34 times. Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff deemed the officiating «unacceptable,» adding, «Ever since we arrived in Cleveland, the whistles have been different. It’s unacceptable that a single player on their team gets more free throws than our entire team.»
Fortunately for Bickerstaff, Game 5, scheduled for early Thursday morning, will be back in Detroit.
NBA Playoffs 2026: Second Round Standings and Results
| Conference | Matchup | Stand |
|---|---|---|
| Western | Thunder (1) — Lakers (4) | 4-0 |
| Western | Spurs (2) — Timberwolves (6) | 2-2 |
| Eastern | Pistons (1) — Cavaliers (4) | 2-2 |
| Eastern | Knicks (3) — Sixers (7) | 4-0 |