Thunder Crush Short-Handed Lakers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads OKC to second blowout win over LA in a week

Apr. 8, 2026 at 12:37pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Los Angeles Lakers 123-87 on Tuesday, led by a dominant 25-point performance from star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This was the second time in five days the Thunder have handily defeated the short-handed Lakers.

Why it matters

The Thunder's back-to-back blowout wins over the Lakers highlight the stark contrast between the two teams' current trajectories. While OKC is emerging as a surprise playoff contender in the West, the Lakers are struggling mightily with injuries and lack of depth on their roster.

The details

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 25 points in just 28 minutes of action as the Thunder dominated the Lakers from start to finish. Oklahoma City led by as many as 36 points in the lopsided victory, which came just five days after they had previously defeated LA by 22 points.

  • The Thunder defeated the Lakers 123-87 on Tuesday, April 8, 2026.
  • This was the second time in five days the two teams had faced off, with OKC also winning the previous matchup.

The players

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The 23-year-old guard is emerging as a star player for the Thunder, leading the team in scoring with 25 points in the blowout win over the Lakers.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are an NBA team based in Oklahoma City that is exceeding expectations this season and establishing themselves as a playoff contender in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are struggling this season, dealing with key injuries that have left them short-handed and unable to compete with teams like the surging Thunder.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We came in focused and ready to take care of business. Our defense set the tone and Shai was dominant as usual.”

— Mark Daigneault, Thunder head coach

What’s next

The Thunder will look to continue their strong play and solidify their playoff positioning, while the Lakers will hope to get healthier and turn things around before it's too late in the season.

The takeaway

The Thunder's dominant performance over the short-handed Lakers showcases their emergence as a surprise playoff contender in the West, while the Lakers' struggles highlight the challenges they face with key injuries and lack of depth on their roster.