OKC Thunder to face Lakers in 2026 NBA playoffs Round 2 series
After four days of waiting around, the Oklahoma City Thunder have finally learned their Round 2 opponent in the 2026 NBA playoffs. They will face the Los Angeles Lakers after they advanced past the Houston Rockets with a 98-78 Game 6 win on Friday.
The Thunder completed another Round 1 sweep with a Game 4 win over the Phoenix Suns this past Monday. Since then, they've seen the Lakers and Rockets fight it out. After Los Angeles went up 3-0, Houston rattled off two straight wins to make things a little interesting.
Alas, the Lakers closed things out on the road. LeBron James had 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Ru Hachimura had 21 points and six rebounds. Austin Reaves finished with 15 points and three rebounds. Houston shot an ugly 35% from the field.
The Thunder will host the Lakers for Game 1 on Tuesday, May 5. The full Round 2 series schedule can be viewed below:
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Game 1:Lakers vs. Thunder on Tuesday, May 5
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Game 2:Lakers vs. Thunder on Thursday, May 7
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Game 3:Thunder vs. Lakers on Saturday, May 9
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Game 4:Thunder vs. Lakers on Monday, May 11
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Game 5:Lakers vs. Thunder on Wednesday, May 13*
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Game 6:Thunder vs. Lakers on Saturday, May 16*
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Game 7:Lakers vs. Thunder on Monday, May 18*
The Thunder won all four regular-season matchups dominantly over the Lakers. Of course, both sides have major injury plots to follow. Luka Doncic and Jalen Williams are each dealing with a hamstring strain.
Either way, expect the Thunder to be the heavy favorite to beat the Lakers in this Round 2 series matchup. The reigning NBA champion has been the league's best team. How intriguing this series gets depends on when Doncic and Williams return.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: OKC Thunder to face Lakers in 2026 NBA playoffs Round 2 series
