The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 138-128, in overtime at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Thursday.

It was a close finish in regulation, as Russell Westbrook knocked down three last-second free-throws to tie the game at 122. Overtime, however, was a different story, as the Lakers (25-21) took off on a 16-6 run. Sophomore Lonzo Ball kickstarted the run by winning a jump ball and knocking down a deep three-pointer. OKC (26-18), meanwhile, struggled to find offense late in the game. Westbrook could not buy a basket throughout, finishing the night shooting just 7-of-30.

LA won its second straight despite the absence of LeBron James (groin). Sophomore forward Kyle Kuzma continued to excel, leading the team with 34 points. LA saw strong play from the entirety of its young core, as Brandon Ingram notched a team-high 11 assists while Ball added another 10 assists and 18 points.

OKC, meanwhile, saw a triple-double from Westbrook despite his poor shooting night. The former MVP tallied 26 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds. Steven Adams added a 17-point, 17-rebound double-double, while Paul George led the team with 27 points. The loss dropped the Thunder to 1-5 in its last six.


On Saturday, the Lakers will visit Houston while the Thunder will travel to Philadelphia.