OKC Thunder's Injury-Riddled February Proved to be Blessing in Game 2 vs. Lakers

The Thunder were more than ready for the third quarter in Game 2.

May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) in the second 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 Images

Oklahoma City used a big third quarter to take control of Game 2, and a midseason stretch helped prepare the defending champions for the situation.

On Thursday night, the Thunder were able to secure another win over the Los Angeles Lakers, taking a 2-0 lead in the second round. While the Lakers were able to compete with the Thunder throughout the first half, the Thunder took over in the third quarter, but it was far from business as usual.

Although the Lakers have done a solid job of limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander through the first two games, the MVP has still come up big in pressure-packed moments throughout the season. However, he didn’t get the opportunity to play during the most critical portion of the game.

With 10:34 left in the third, Gilgeous-Alexander picked up a flagrant foul, which also marked his fourth of the game, leading Mark Daigneault to sit his star for the rest of the quarter. Despite the Lakers taking a five-point lead as Gilgeous-Alexander headed to the bench, it was far from smooth sailing for LA.

Back in February, the Thunder dealt with a plethora of injuries, most notably to their three main ball-handlers. With Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell all missing almost the entire month together, the Thunder had to scrap their way through games to stay at the top of the West.

While playing under those conditions was far from ideal, it also gave the Thunder’s other players some confidence that they could step up in big moments. Of the Thunder’s 12 games in February, Gilgeous-Alexander missed nine, Williams missed 10 and Mitchell missed all 12.

Although Mitchell was on the floor on Thursday night, the impact of that stretch was clear for players such as Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams and Jared McCain, who all played crucial roles in helping the Thunder build a lead with a couple of stars on the bench.

With Gilgeous-Alexander off the floor in the third, the Thunder managed to turn a five-point deficit into a 13-point lead entering the fourth. While some teams might’ve crumbled in that situation, the Thunder thrived.

Much like how the injuries felt in February, it looked like Gilgeous-Alexander’s fourth foul would be a crushing blow to the Thunder. Yet, the Thunder’s next-man-up mentality was on full display again, and Oklahoma City eventually pulled away in their most impressive win of the postseason thus far.