Jalen Williams leads Oklahoma City to victory over Lakers
Jalen Williams made an immediate impact in his return, scoring 23 points—15 of them after halftime—to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder past the Los Angeles Lakers 119–110 on Monday night and snap a two-game skid.
The night unfolded without the usual headliners. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was sidelined for Oklahoma City with an abdominal injury, while Luka Doncic—the league’s leading scorer—missed a second straight game for Los Angeles due to a mild hamstring strain.
An efficient Thunder without their star
Despite Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence, who will be unavailable until the NBA All-Star Game this weekend in Inglewood, the Thunder was able to rely on the depth of their roster. Isaiah Joe contributed with 19 points off the bench, while Alex Caruso added 17 points. Chet Holmgren recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, sealing the victory with a decisive dunk with 1 minute 17 seconds remaining.
Jaylin Williams and Jalen Williams both made important shots in crucial moments to allow the Thunder, NBA leaders, to extend their lead late in the game. The Oklahoma City team had lost three of their last five games before this matchup.
Asked Mark Daigneault about Jalen Williams, who shook off some early shooting woes and closed out the game in his return from injury:
« He slammed the door on that game. It was impressive. He’s got such a body of work that we’re not overly concerned with how he plays coming back.… pic.twitter.com/SQoj3w2uce
— Justin Martinez (@Justintohoops) February 10, 2026
New acquisition Jared McCain, acquired from Philadelphia last week, scored on his first two possessions and finished with 7 points in his second game wearing a Thunder jersey.
Lakers struggle defensively at home
On the Los Angeles side, LeBron James scored 22 points, including 14 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to avoid another disappointing defensive performance. Marcus Smart led the Lakers with 19 points, while Austin Reaves added 16 points despite restricted playing time.
This defeat ends a three-game winning streak for the Lakers, who now have a record of 14 wins and 9 losses at home, a rather average record for a team with high ambitions. The game was marked by physical play typical of the Thunder, with 52 free throws awarded in total.
The Thunder will travel to Phoenix next Wednesday, while the Lakers will host San Antonio at home on the same day.
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