The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 115-110 on Tuesday night, sweeping the series 4-0 and advancing to the Western Conference Finals. The victory marked Oklahoma City’s eighth consecutive win this postseason and improved their season record against LeBron James’ Lakers to a perfect 8-0. James was swept for the fourth time in his career.
Second-year guard Ajay Mitchell, who is making just $3 million this season, stole the spotlight with a stunning performance. Despite attempting only two free throws, he poured in 28 points, dished out four assists, and added four steals. Mitchell’s efficiency was remarkable: he shot 12-of-19 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three-point range, and a perfect 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.
Thunder team reporter Brandon Lambert reacted with disbelief: “It’s incredible that we’re going to the conference finals with a player like Ajay Mitchell stepping up, especially without key player Jalen Williams.”
Mitchell, often nicknamed “MiGod” by fans, has emerged as the Thunder’s second-leading scorer in the series behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. He has become a reliable secondary ball-handler, and his contract is only partially guaranteed for $1.5 million next season.
In the first quarter, Mitchell scored four points on 3-of-3 shooting. By halftime, he had eight points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals, hitting mid-range jumpers with ease. His energy sparked a 17-0 run in the second quarter after he stole the ball from Austin Reaves.
Reaves, the Lakers’ guard, struggled again against Mitchell’s relentless defense. In the third quarter, Mitchell stripped Reaves again and scored eight points in three minutes on 4-of-4 shooting. By the end of the third, Mitchell had 18 points, four assists, three rebounds, and three steals on 9-of-12 shooting, with just one turnover.
In the fourth quarter, Mitchell matched LeBron James bucket for bucket, scoring without the benefit of free throws or three-pointers. He drew a foul on a drive against Marcus Smart and converted the and-one to give the Thunder the lead. Later, he drilled a step-back three-pointer to extend the advantage. Mitchell sealed the series with two clutch free throws.
Mitchell finished with 28 points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals in 33 minutes, shooting 63.2% from the field. He was featured on the Thunder’s playoff celebration poster.
