In Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on May 12, the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder at home, still missing Luka Doncic due to injury. After taking a 26-21 lead in the first quarter, the Lakers were stunned by a 17-0 Thunder run early in the second quarter, falling behind by as many as 12 points. Although they fought back, LeBron James twisted his ankle after stepping on Jaxson Hayes’ foot. At halftime, the Lakers trailed 45-49, putting them on the brink of elimination.
**Key First-Half Stats:**
– Lakers: Austin Reaves (15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks), LeBron James (10 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist), Jaxson Hayes (10 points, 3 rebounds).
– Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (14 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists), Alex Caruso (9 points, 1 rebound, 2 steals), Ajay Mitchell (8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals).
Without Doncic, the Lakers have struggled mightily against the Thunder, losing the first three games of the series by a combined 59 points. Down 0-3 in the series, the Lakers face an impossible task—no NBA team has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.
The Thunder, missing second-leading scorer Jalen Williams due to injury, came out strong in the second quarter. After the Lakers led 26-21 after the first period, Oklahoma City went on a 10-0 run in the first two minutes of the second, forcing two Laker timeouts. The Lakers missed their first eight shots of the quarter, and the Thunder extended the run to 17-0, taking a 38-26 lead. James finally broke the drought with two free throws after being fouled by Luguentz Dort.
Hayes and Reaves then scored inside, with Hayes adding a putback dunk, as the Lakers chipped away at the deficit. Reaves continued to score from the line and the field, bringing the Lakers within four points at halftime.
**Starting Lineups:**
– Lakers: LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart.
– Thunder: Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Ajay Mitchell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.