OKC Thunder react to Lakers 2026 NBA playoffs Round 2 matchup

After a four-day journey through the unknown, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally learned their Round 2 opponent in the 2026 NBA playoffs. They will face the Los Angeles Lakers after they punched their ticket with a Game 6 win over the Houston Rockets . Both teams will get the weekend to prepare, but once the Thunder host the Lakers for Game 1 on Tuesday, May 5, they'll play every other day for most of the Round 2 series.

Welcome to the meaty part of the 2026 NBA playoffs. Fresh off another Round 1 sweep over the Phoenix Suns , the Thunder will enter as the heavy favorite to beat the Lakers. Both teams have major injuries as Luka Doncic and Jalen Williams are each dealing with a hamstring strain.

Here's what the Thunder had to say about their Round 2 matchup with the Lakers: Mark Daigneault On the Lakers: "I thought they were the better team in that series. That's what the series score would indicate. They threw the first punch in the series.

Then they showed great mental toughness to have those two games not go their way, and then to go on the road and close the series out. Takes a lot of toughness to do that. When a team advances, you're going to come off of your last series with a level of confidence because we just won a playoff series.