The Los Angeles Lakers suffered another crushing loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 as Rui Hachimura shined, OKC’s depth dominated and Los Angeles collapsed again after halftime.
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fight for position on the court in the first half of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesUnfortunately, after an inspired first half in which they led for the second straight game, the Lakers fell apart and ultimately were crushed by arguably the best all-around team in the NBA. Following a third straight loss to Oklahoma City in this series and a seventh straight loss against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during the 2025-26 campaign, the Lakers are deflated.
They will be looking for a way to survive in Game 4, facing elimination for the first time in these NBA playoffs. No. 1: Lakers Continue to Collapse in the Second Half May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts as he is defended by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell in the second half of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images For whatever reason, the Lakers are simply not the same team in the second half of games, especially against the Thunder. Los Angeles was riding some momentum heading into halftime, as they were able to go toe-to-toe with the defending champions in the first half.
Oklahoma City struggled to impose its will, as they normally do, while the Lakers played with effort and showed they didn’t want to get swept in this series. Unfortunately, the second half was a different story altogether, with the Thunder outscoring the Lakers, 33-20, in the third quarter. Mark Daigneault’s squad didn’t look back after that red-hot quarter and ended up pulling off the 23-point blowout.
Oklahoma City was relentless and proved why they are the team to beat in the West during these playoffs. May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren in the first half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center.
Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Imagesleading the charge, Hachimura hasn’t missed a beat, continuing to be incredibly efficient with his shooting from beyond the arc. Hachimura finished with a team-high 21 points during the loss to the Thunder in Game 3. He put on another impressive shooting display, connecting on five of his eight attempts from beyond the arc. The soon-to-be unrestricted free agent is making NBA playoff history with his red-hot outside shooting.
He’s currently shooting 57.1 percent from beyond the arc, which is remarkable and will almost certainly make him one of the most desirable free agents heading into the offseason. May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort is congratulated by the bench after a three-point basket in the second half of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images There’s no question that Gilgeous-Alexander is a handful and incredibly tough to contain, but, ironically, the Lakers have done a pretty good job on him in this series, which suggests Los Angeles should be getting better results. However, the Thunder’s supporting cast is second to none, with players like Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain being a constant problem forand company, as they can’t figure out a way to limit Oklahoma City’s role players from making a massive impact.
In Game 3, Mitchell was a major problem for the Lakers. The Santa Barbara product was arguably the primary reason Los Angeles lost on Saturday, as he lit up the Lakers for a game-high 24 points to go along with 10 assists, four rebounds and three steals.
The Thunder also got solid performances from Isaiah Hartenstein , Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace , which helped shut the door on any hope for the Lakers to get the win in L.A. The season will be on the line for the Lakers heading into Game 4 on Monday in Los Angeles, and the odds definitely aren’t in favor of the storied franchise coming out on top.
However, anything can happen in the playoffs, especially in a win-or-go-home scenario, so it isn’t over until it’s over, but it’ll be a tough hill to climb moving forward. Ryan Ward is an NBA journalist and a credentialed reporter with more than 15 years of experience covering the league and the Los Angeles Lakers. He has written for ClutchPoints, Lakers Nation, Heavy, Rotowire and EssentiallySports.
Ryan also produces a podcast and video content focused on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA at large. Best NBA Prop Bets Today
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