LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, May 7, but failed to advance to the NBA second round series.
Instead, the Lakers lost 0-2 in the series and were one step closer to being swept by the defending champions.
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The Lakers still miss point guard Luka Doncic, and his absence was noticeable after the Lakers turned the ball over 20 times in an attempt to move the ball and generate some offense.
Austin Reaves added five, while LeBron James and Marcus Smart added three each. Reeves really took control of the offense, scoring 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting.
Watch the coolest kicks as footwear takes center stage during the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Pictured above is the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson #11 shoe during the first half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round of the NBA playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City.
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
The NBA playoffs bring more than just high-stakes basketball, with stars showing off their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.
Watch the coolest kicks as footwear takes center stage during the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Pictured above is the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson #11 shoe during the first half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round of the NBA playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City.
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
New York Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns’ No. 32 shoe is seen before the team’s first game against the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference first round of the NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York.
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
New York Knicks’ Josh Hart #3 sneakers during the third quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City.
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
No. 15 shoes worn by the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic during the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Game 1 of the first round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado.
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
Nike Lebron XXIII shoes worn by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half of Game 1 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
Shoes worn by Minnesota Timberwolves’ No. 5 Anthony Edwards during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets during Game 1 of the first round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado.
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 18: New York Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns’ No. 32 sneakers are seen during the first half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round NBA playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City. Notice to User: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and/or using this photo, User agrees to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
New York Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns’ No. 32 sneakers are seen during the third quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round of the NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City.
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The coolest sneaker stars of the NBA playoffs show off their sneaker style
Atlanta Hawks Jonathan Kuminga #0’s shoes appear during the third quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round of the NBA playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City.
While the turnovers may have been a topic of internal discussion, the Lakers continued to express displeasure with referees calling fouls throughout the game.
After the game, coach JJ Redick was asked about the officiating and pointed out that James only had five free throw opportunities in the first two games of the series.
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“LeBron (received) the worst whistle I’ve ever seen from any star player,” Redick told reporters after the game. “I’ve been with him for two years now, and smaller guys, because they can be dramatic, tend to commit more fouls, and a guy like LeBron, that’s hard for them.”
Reeves and James were seen in a crowd near midcourt after the game that included other members of the Lakers team and the officiating staff. Reeves, in particular, expressed his displeasure.
After the game, James himself had little to say to the referee.
The Lakers stayed aggressive throughout the game, matching the Thunder’s pace, and the two teams alternated scoring until halftime when Los Angeles entered the locker room with a one-point lead.
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After a 32-14 run in the third quarter, the Thunder managed to pull away in the second half without star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the court.
The Lakers have a chance to overcome what happened in Game 2 when the series moves to Los Angeles for the next two games.
The Thunder remain in good position as the team has not lost a seven-game series when leading 2-0. Oklahoma City swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs and improved to 6-0.
When will the third game between the Lakers and Thunder take place?
The Lakers will host the Thunder on Saturday, May 9th. The game will air on ESPN at 5:30 PM PT (8:30 PM ET).
