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The Oklahoma City Thunder had the Los Angeles Lakers’ number this season. The defending NBA champion Thunder have asserted their dominance across the league, but their excellence against the Lakers was particularly eye-catching.
Oklahoma City went 8-0 against L.A. during the 2025-26 season, including the Thunder’s sweep of the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals. While point differential doesn’t always tell the whole story, OKC won six of those eight games by at least 18 points.
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In the playoffs, the Lakers put up a more competitive fight, except they simply didn’t have enough to combat the Thunder, especially with Luka Dončić still sidelined by his Grade 2 left hamstring strain.
More than a week removed from being swept, a 41-year-old LeBron James called it like it was on his podcast, “Mind the Game.”
“If we being completely honest, we were out-talented,” James told co-host Steve Nash on their latest episode, which was released Thursday. “We were not outworked. They didn’t out-physical us. They didn’t outsmart us.”
James reiterated: “I felt like we were just out-talented by OKC.”
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The Thunder’s roster is dazzling with youth. Their rotation is spearheaded by now-two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren — all of whom are locked up contractually for the long term — and it has enough depth to survive injuries, most notably those suffered by Williams this season.
James’ comments are reflective of what NBA fans saw in the second round. Nonetheless, they’re relevant due to the fact that he’s set to become a free agent this offseason. While Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has repeatedly said the franchise would love to have James finish his career in L.A., the gap between the Lakers and Thunder — and perhaps the San Antonio Spurs as well — could lead James elsewhere.
That is, if he doesn’t retire.
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James just played an NBA-record 23rd season. He’ll turn 42 in December. He’s won four NBA championships…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/lebron-james-admits-thunder-out-talented-lakers-in-playoffs-says-hes-waiting-to-make-call-on-nba-future-212347731.html
Author : Andy Backstrom
Publish date : 2026-05-21 21:23:00
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