The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 in their NBA Western Conference semifinal series opener, taking a 1-0 lead. The victory was largely attributed to a balanced offensive performance and a strong defensive display from the Thunder. Cheche Holmgren led the Thunder with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell added 18 points apiece. The Lakers were trailing for the final three quarters but managed to pull ahead. This victory highlighted the difficulty of the Lakers' ability to upset the champions in the best-of-seven series. In other playoff games, the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101 in their Eastern Conference semi-final.