Los Angeles Lakers bounced back in dominant fashion with a 126–99 win over the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, solidifying their status as NBA title contenders. Key contributions came from Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent, who were instrumental off the bench and great performance of Lebron James. Their performance came just days after a disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors. Finney-Smith specifically blamed that rough night on the challenge of guarding Stephen Curry.
In their recent three-game winning streak over the Thunder, Rockets, and Grizzlies, Finney-Smith and Vincent combined to shoot 27-for-49 from three-point range. In the lone loss to Golden State, they went just 1-for-10.
When asked about the shooting slump, Finney-Smith didn’t mince words. “Make or miss. But running around with Steph don’t help,” he said. Curry torched the Lakers in that game with 37 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists, reminding everyone of why he’s still one of the most unguardable players in the league.
Against the Thunder, Finney-Smith bounced back with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Vincent added 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists—key performances off the bench that helped LA seal the massive win.
Austin Reaves on the playoff race
With NBA playoff seeding in the Western Conference still in flux, every game counts. Austin Reaves emphasized the importance of their dominant win in OKC given how tight the standings are.
“It’s huge,” Reaves said postgame. “And where the standings are, you could go from third to eighth in the snap of a finger. So for us to come in here and play such a good team the way we did tonight is big.”
LeBron James on team identity
Lakers star LeBron James offered a measured assessment after the victory, speaking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin via X (formerly Twitter). He acknowledged the progress but insisted there’s still work to be done.
“They know who they are… We’re still trying to figure it out,” James said. “We understand that coming down the stretch we have to play some really good basketball, but we’re still working our habits.”