It's a must-win situation for the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of their second-round series.
Oklahoma City won the first three games by an average margin of 19.6 points to take a commanding lead against Los Angeles. Teams with a 3-0 advantage in a best-of-seven series are 162-0 all time.
The Lakers have been swept only nine times in franchise history, most recently in the 2023 Western Conference finals against the eventual champion Denver Nuggets. LeBron James has never been swept before the conference finals and is 2-3 in Game 4 when trailing 3-0. James averages 33.1 points per game when facing elimination, the highest total in NBA postseason history.
If Oklahoma City closes out the series, it will make its second consecutive trip to the conference finals for the first time since 2011 and 2012. The Thunder would face the winner of the San Antonio Spurs-Minnesota Timberwolves series. If Los Angeles keeps its season alive, Game 5 will be played Wednesday in Oklahoma City.
Will the Thunder advance, or will the Lakers live to fight another day? Follow along for live updates and highlights.
