OKC Thunder Need Another Big Night from Ajay Mitchell in Game 4 vs. Lakers

The Thunder's breakout star is having an incredible series, and he could be the key to finishing off another sweep.

May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) 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

Oklahoma City is set for a potential closeout game in Los Angeles, and it could use another big performance from its newest backcourt star.

On Monday night, the Thunder will be on the road again for Game 4 of their second-round series against the Lakers. After taking the first three games in dominant fashion, the Thunder will have a chance to end the Lakers’ season on the West Coast.

Throughout this series, JJ Redick has been focused on limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s effectiveness as a scorer and primary playmaker. While it’s resulted in three blowout losses for his team, he has at least managed to keep the MVP from putting up big numbers.

However, that’s only resulted in the Thunder getting major contributions from everyone else on the floor, most notably Ajay Mitchell. Slotting into the role of second option in the starting lineup with Jalen Williams recovering from a hamstring strain, Mitchell has averaged 20.7 points and 6.7 assists while committing just three turnovers the entire series.

Coming off a historic Game 3 with 24 points, 10 assists, three steals and no turnovers, Mitchell had a real case to be the best player on the floor on Saturday night. While that type of production isn’t necessarily to be expected from a second-year guard, he’s shown that he’s capable of being a massive contributor all season.

So, fittingly, he will likely be the X factor for the Thunder again on Monday night. Showcasing flashes of All-Star talent, Mitchell’s consistent determination to get to his spots and put pressure on the defense has been crucial for the Thunder, even if his shots aren’t always falling.

Considering the trust that Mark Daigneault has in the second-year guard, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Mitchell be the focal point of the offense from tipoff, especially if the Lakers continue to throw aggressive coverages at Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder will still need their MVP to perform like a star, but another big night from Mitchell should help the defending champions continue to thrive when Gilgeous-Alexander is on the bench.

Beyond their aggressive coverage on Gilgeous-Alexander, the Lakers’ defense has been poor throughout the series, and Mitchell has been more than ready to take advantage of it at every turn. Taking advantage of mismatches against defenders like Austin Reaves and Luke Kennard while making those same players less effective on the other end, Mitchell has had an incredible two-way series up to this point, and he’s one more performance away from helping his team to the Western Conference Finals.