After a sizzling March, Lakers face a big playoff test against equally hot Oklahoma City

The tests kept coming in the month of March for the Lakers and they responded with the same resounding answer: We’re ready.

Yet, even though the Lakers posted a 15-2 record last month, even though they beat some of the best teams in the NBA, they still have another big test on the horizon that will further show whether they’re ready.

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The Lakers will meet the defending NBA champion Thunder in Oklahoma City Thursday night, and it will be the test of all tests because OKC is just as hot as L.A. and owns the best record in the NBA.

The Thunder have their own unstoppable force in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s most valuable player who is in line to win it again this season, just as the Lakers have their own unstoppable force in Luka Doncic, another MVP candidate this season.

Los Angeles, CA – March 31: Lakers head coach JJ Redick coaches the team as the Lakers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 127-113 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The Lakers clinched a playoff berth before their win over Cleveland. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Oklahoma City produced a 14-1 record in March. The Thunder have a 60-16 record, tops in the league.

So for the Lakers, Thursday will be a measuring stick against the best the league has to offer.

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“Yeah, 100%. I mean, I feel like we’ve been in a couple playoff games here recently,” Lakers forward Jake LaRavia said. “This is obviously going to be another one, you know, best team in the West. So it’s going to be a good test for us as we’re nearing the playoffs. And, yeah, it’s going to be the same thing. We have to be physical. We have to play defense collectively. We’re gonna have to just play together as a team.”

The Lakers finished March with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and have won 13 of their past 14 games.

They had impressive victories over New York, Minnesota, Denver, at Houston twice, at Miami and at Orlando during March.

Read more: Luka Doncic matches Michael Jordan for the most magical March in NBA history

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Now they get the Thunder.

“Obviously they are the…

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Publish date : 2026-04-01 11:00:00

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