Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) looks to shoot over Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) and Lakers forward Rui Hachimur a (28) watch the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, center, looks to shoot between Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren, left, and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith, left, looks to shoot over Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Lakers forward LeBron James, left, drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) looks to pass the ball away from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Lakers forward LeBron James, left, looks for an outlet against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Lakers guard Luka Doncic looks to shoot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, passes the ball away from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Lakers coach JJ Redick looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Show Caption1 of 10Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) looks to shoot over Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Expand OKLAHOMA CITY — JJ Redick has mentioned several times throughout his first season as the Lakers coach that one of his favorite parts of the job is the problem-solving aspect that comes with the gig. Redick knew there would be plenty for him and his coaching staff to problem-solve during the 38 hours the Lakers had between Friday’s home win over the New Orleans Pelicans and Sunday’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. As the team with the Western Conference’s best record by a wide margin, and the league’s best record overall, the Thunder present plenty of issues for opponents on both sides of the floor. But the Lakers had an answer for seemingly everything Oklahoma City threw at them on Sunday afternoon, beating the Thunder 126-99 on the road in a matchup they had full control of from the game’s start. “We were very connected in both intent and in spirit on both ends of the floor, very committed to what we were trying to do defensively and very committed to where we felt like we could generate good shots offensively against a terrific defense,” Redick said. “And there wasn’t a let up to that.” Luka Doncic led the Lakers (48-30) with 30 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals, with his early shotmaking (14 first-quarter points and a trio of 3-pointers in the opening period) setting the tone for one of the Lakers’ best victories of the season. The Lakers made a season-high 22 3-pointers on 40 attempts from beyond the arc (55%), with the Thunder (64-14) struggling to contain the Lakers’ ball movement. “You can’t have a let up, no matter what the score is,” LeBron James said. “They are always going to make a push, that’s why they are who they are at this position at this part of the season. It was a really good game for us and we can build from it.” Austin Reaves was one of six Lakers to score in double figures, finishing with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting (four 3s). James added 19 points (9-of-16 shooting) and seven assists, taking advantage of the Thunder guarding him with smaller players after initially being defended by Thunder big man Chet Holmgren. Dorian Finney-Smith (14 points, seven rebounds; four 3s), Gabe Vincent (12 points, three assists, three rebounds; four 3s) and Rui Hachimura (11 points, seven rebounds) also scored in double figures. “It’s hard to beat us when me and Gabe are making shots,” Finney-Smith said. Doncic took advantage of Oklahoma City switching big man Isaiah Hartenstein onto him early, with the 26-year-old Slovenian guard knocking down a pair of step back 3s over Hartenstein in the first before the Thunder started to send help. From there, Doncic’s passing/playmaking opportunities opened up, leading to one of the Lakers’ best offensive performances of the season – and possibly their best, considering the Thunder entered the matchup with the league’s best defense. “We’re at our best when they blitz,” Doncic said. “It’s obviously easy basketball, four-on-three. We just kind of worked on that and we saw that since I’ve been here, we’ve been getting better and better at that. [Sunday], the ball was moving and we were getting lot of open shots and that’s what we need to do moving forward.” Thunder All-NBA guard and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points on 12-of-23 shooting to go with nine assists, but Oklahoma City didn’t get much offensive production outside of him. All-Star wing Jalen Williams finished with 16 points but on 4-of-14 shooting to go with six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Holmgren added 10 points. Gilgeous-Alexander, who entered Sunday second in the league in free throw attempts per game with 8.9, didn’t take a free throw, the first time he didn’t get to the charity stripe for the first time since Dec. 18, 2021. The Thunder took just 12 free throws, making nine. “We know that they’re very good when it comes to one, getting into the paint, attracting a lot [of defensive attention],” James said. “They do a great job of getting to the free throw line. They do a great job of getting offensive rebounds and second-chance points. And those are some of the controllables that you can control. Not putting your hand in a cookie jar when a lot of those guys were driving. Shai, J-Dub, some of those other guys, you got to just live with the contest, make or miss. And I think we did a great job of paying attention to detail in that. Sunday was the first time the Thunder have lost consecutive games since Nov. 17 and Nov. 19. The Thunder’s point total was their lowest since scoring 98 points in OKC’s Jan. 17 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. “I told them after the game,’ ‘you can’t rely on shooting 22 of 40 from 3’,” Redick said. “That’s not a sustainable formula. Generating 40 3s and giving yourself those type of looks, that’s something that can be sustainable. But defending the way we defended and holding this team under 100 with a roughly 94 possession game, that’s elite defense. That’s gonna give you a chance to win every night.” The Lakers and Thunder will match up again in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. Related Articles Lakers confident in chemistry for Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves Lakers regain No. 3 spot in West standings with victory over Pelicans Lakers’ JJ Redick encouraged by LeBron James’ post-injury progression Alexander: For Lakers, the regular season’s end is in sight Lakers fall to Steph Curry, Warriors in potential playoff preview ...read more read less