The OKC Thunder will face their first real test of the 2026 NBA Playoffs during their second-round matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Thunder completed an easy 4-0 sweep of the Phoenix Suns in the first round and will hope to knock off the underdog Lakers, led by a 41-year-old LeBron James at the moment.
James averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in the first round to lead the Lakers to a shocking series win over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers were the higher seed but were without superstar Luka Doncic for the entire series, and star guard Austin Reaves only played in Games 5 and 6. Otherwise, James led this scrappy Lakers squad to a 3-0 series lead as underdogs, before completing the series with a Game 6 win. Now, fans are hoping he repeats this against the reigning NBA Champions in round two.
Thunder big man Chet Holmgren spoke to reporters after Thunder practice about the challenge of facing James and the Lakers in the second round, commenting on LeBron’s age and showing genuine appreciation for his achievements this season.
“First of all, it’s very impressive. Growing up, I used to play at Lifetime (Fitness) a lot. There were a lot of 41-year-olds who weren’t moving too well. I think that’s extremely impressive. Not only his physical ability, but also the mentality to stay focused and locked in for that period of time is impressive. Credit to him for that, but this is about us figuring it out, about how the Thunder can beat the Lakers.”
Holmgren was born on May 1, 2002, just over a year before LeBron made his NBA debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Holmgren has never seen an NBA without LeBron, so it explains why the challenge of facing one of the greatest players in league history would weigh on him. The Thunder aren’t taking this matchup lightly either, despite picking up four comprehensive wins over the Lakers during the regular season.
LeBron has averaged 17.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists against the Thunder this season, with the No. 1 seed having the weapons not only to limit LeBron’s production but also to break down the Lakers’ patchy defense. Nonetheless, coach JJ Redick has shown he can make some creative postseason adjustments to give his team every edge they can possibly get against a superior opponent.
Holmgren has averaged 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks over the regular season, and is averaging 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in the Playoffs. He likely won’t be tasked with guarding LeBron, but he’ll be the weakside defender who will protect the rim if James breaks loose on a fastbreak or beats his defender on the perimeter.
A loss for the Thunder in this matchup would leave fans shocked, given how good they’ve been all year and because the Lakers are expected to be without Doncic for most of the series. But if any player can lead a team to a shock series win like that, it’s LeBron James, and the Thunder will be focused on ensuring he does as little damage as possible to their hopes of retaining the NBA Championship this season.
