Inside The Thunder

Lakers-Thunder Provides Playoff Atmosphere on Sunday Afternoon

With the Oklahoma City Thunder slated to compete against the Los Angeles Lakers, it'll be a playoff atmosphere on Sunday afternoon inside Paycom Center.

Nathan Aker

Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
In this story:

On a Sunday afternoon in early April nearing the postseason, Thunder fans are itching. Its most notable season since 2015-16 has evolved into the team's best season of all time on paper, en route to grabbing the league's best regular season record while smashing several of its own records along the way.

This would be the first time the Thunder has boasted winning the regular season outright, also managing the largest gap in Northwest Division history. A 64-13 record, the Cleveland Cavaliers currently sit at 62-15 in the East.

But heading into Sunday, Oklahoma City has its eyes set on taking Game 2 of three against the Los Angeles Lakers, facing the Luka Doncic rendition of this team for the first time this season. Back in late November, the Thunder took down the Lakers on their home floor, edging them out 101-93 behind a 36-point Shai Gilgeous-Alexander performance and 19 points from Jalen Williams, curbing a 20-point outing from Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht.

Sunday will be a completely different landscape though, as each team gears up for the postseason and Bricktown is buzzing, it's a unique feel in downtown Oklahoma City, and this team will assuredly be hyped up for this matchup as they look at their fan base.

It's been a historic season thus far, and the postseason will need to be capitalized upon in order to make this a truly special one in Oklahoma City as the Thunder will go for the title and Gilgeous-Alexander seemingly awaits an MVP trophy.

The Thunder comes off a bout versus the Houston Rockets who sit at No. 2 in the West, losing by 14 on the road heading into Sunday's game. The Lakers currently sit at third in the West, having improved greatly with Doncic's addition and have climbed up the ladder in the conference just outside of the mess that is the middle-of-the-pack teams in the West.

Oklahoma City will have an electric, playoff-esque atmosphere on Sunday in a top-three Western Conference matchup, and they'll look to match the mood in their play to grab its 65th win of the year.

Published
Nathan Aker
NATHAN AKER

Nathan is a senior at the University of Oklahoma majoring in Public Relations set to graduate in May 2024. He holds experience covering multiple sports, primarily basketball, at the high school and collegiate level. 

Home/News