Thunder roll Lakers 108-90 in Game 1: Holmgren goes for 24/12, Luka still out

The Lakers walked into Paycom Center missing Luka and walked out down 1-0. Chet Holmgren put up 24 points and 12 rebounds in 32 minutes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31, and Oklahoma City rolled to a 108-90 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Thunder shot 53% from the floor and the bench outscored LA's reserves 41-22. Coast-to-coast, this was a beatdown.

Luka Doncic missed his eighth straight game with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said before tip he's "not close" to returning — there's no timetable, and the Lakers are taking a "cautious approach." Jalen Williams was also out for OKC with his own hamstring issue and reserve Thomas Sorber remains out for the year (torn ACL). Even shorthanded, the gap between these two teams was obvious.

Game 2 is Thursday in OKC. The Lakers can't shoot themselves out of trouble (32% from three in Game 1) and they don't have a ball-handler who can match the Thunder's pace without Luka. SGA averaged 33.8 in the Phoenix sweep. He's about to do the same to LA unless something changes fast.