What happened
The Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers with a Game 4 win in Los Angeles to complete a series sweep, per @SportsCenter. The decisive sequence featured late misses by LeBron James and Austin Reaves with the season on the line. OKC advances to the next round after closing out the series on the road.
Why it matters
The result extends Oklahoma City's dominant postseason run and pushes the defending champions one series away from a return to the NBA Finals. For the Lakers, the sweep ends a second-round series in which they trailed throughout, including a Game 3 rout in Los Angeles that put them on the brink. The exit raises immediate questions about the Lakers' roster construction and late-game shot creation around LeBron James.
What to watch
Oklahoma City advances to the Western Conference Finals, with the opponent to be determined by the other West semifinal. Watch for Lakers offseason posture around LeBron James's status and supporting cast.