The 2026 NBA Playoffs gives basketball fans a fascinating Western Conference semi-finals clash between the league’s reigning champions and one of sport’s most iconic franchises. The series sees the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers go head-to-head, and GiveMeSport has fed the data into a Supercomputer to see how it all plays out.
In the previous round, the Lakers scraped past the Houston Rockets in six games. They took a 3-0 series lead before they risked becoming the first team in NBA history to surrender such an advantage, when the Rockets pulled it back to 3-2. The entire series could have been far different had Rockets superstar Kevin Durant not gone down with an injury in Game 2 that kept him out for the rest of the series, but the Lakers eventually closed things out at home. They now face a significantly more daunting proposition. The reigning NBA champions.
The Thunder, meanwhile, swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round without breaking much of a sweat, and have been sitting patiently ever since, rested and ready. The Thunder went 4-0 against the Lakers in the regular season, by a combined margin of 117 points. By virtually every measure, this is the most difficult series the Lakers could have had.
LeBron James might be in his 40s, but he is still one of the greatest basketball players in the world.
Lakers-Thunder Round 2 schedule
Game 1
Tuesday, May 5th
@OKC
Game 2
Thursday, May 7th
@OKC
Game 3
Saturday, May 9
@LAL
Game 4
Monday, May 11th
@LAL
Game 5*
Wednesday, May 13th
@OKC
Game 6*
Saturday, May 16th
@LAL
Game 7*
Monday, May 18th
@OKC
* – If required
The injury list is relatively small and minor for both teams, but the two names included are both starters, the biggest of which is Lakers superstar Luka Doncic, whose slow progress in recovering from a hamstring strain has already ruled him out for Game 1 on Tuesday. For the Thunder, starting forward Jalen Williams is also a doubt for Game 1 with a less severe grade of the same injury.
Supercomputer’s Prediction
The Supercomputer’s case for OKC starts with the one-sided match-up data. Going 4-0 against a team by such a margin in the regular season isn’t just a number, it reflects a genuine edge. The Thunder have the length to contest at the point of attack, the rim protection to deter paint pressure, and the defensive versatility to switch across Luka Doncic and LeBron James without giving up clean looks.
Central to all of that is Chet Holmgren. At 7ft 1in, his presence at the rim means OKC’s perimeter defenders never have to choose between guarding their man and protecting the basket. It’s a nightmare equation for a Lakers team that relies heavily on paint pressure and kick-outs to generate offence.
Then there’s the rest advantage. The Thunder swept their first round series and have had a few days to recover while watching the Lakers grind through two extra games against Houston. Fresh legs matter in the playoffs, particularly against a team that plays at OKC’s pace.
As for the best player in the series, LeBron can still be the smartest player on any floor, and Doncic, when healthy, remains one of the most devastating offensive weapons in the game. But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning league MVP, has been one of the most consistent two-way forces throughout the season, and everything around him is cleaner and better setup. The Supercomputer gives the Canadian the edge, and the series MVP nod.
How the Lakers Could Flip the Script
This series isn’t a foregone conclusion, though. If LeBron turns it into a half-court chess match and limits OKC’s transition opportunities, the Thunder become considerably less dangerous. If Austin Reaves, who has only recently returned from injury, can bring back his best form, the complexion of the series has the opportunity to shift. And if OKC’s secondary creation stalls in clutch moments, the door is open for Los Angeles to steal the series.
For the time being, and as far as the Supercomputer is concerned, the Thunder will take the series 4-2. Some will likely label the idea of the Lakers taking two games from this match-up as generous, and looking at the data, it’s hard to argue otherwise. OKC are the better team, the fresher team, and the defending champions, all led by last season’s MVP. Until Luka Doncic is back on the floor and fully fit, the Lakers might just be trying to survive, and that might not even be enough to tip the scales in their favour.
Kylian Mbappe is lighting up the 2026 World Cup as he looks to fire France to their second success in world football’s biggest competition since 2018.
The Real Madrid forward is firmly in the Golden Boot race against the likes of Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior, having found the net four times in the group stages. Mbappe was crucial to his nation lifting the trophy in 2018, bursting onto the scene as a teenager.
He then had an incredible tournament four years later in Qatar. Despite his side having to settle for second place, the 27-year-old fired in a hat-trick in the final, something only Sir Geoff Hurst has previously managed.
Kylian Mbappe Wearing Different Shirt to France Teammates
Kyle Ross (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
That treble in the final against Argentina helped Mbappe to the Golden Boot in the 2022 World Cup. The versatile forward netted eight times in total, and was undeserving of being on the losing side.
He tends to step up on the big stage when his country needs him. Some eagle-eyed fans may have spotted a difference in the shirt Mbappe is wearing this summer compared to the rest of Didier Deschamps’ men.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane are all expected to finish among the top goalscorers in this summer’s tournament.
The reason for that is his Golden Boot victory in 2022. Any active player who has won the individual award at the World Cup is allowed to wear a special patch on the sleeve of their shirt.
England’s Harry Kane and Colombia’s James Rodriguez are the only other players at the tournament this summer allowed to wear the patch, after winning the 2018 and 2014 Golden Boots, respectively.
The award has never been won back-to-back in the competition’s history. But with France being among the strong favourites and expected to go far, there’s every chance their talisman can scoop the honour once again. After all, he’s only four goals away from being the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Mbappe: Lionel Messi Still the Best
Reuters/Maria Lysaker
While Mbappe is hunting his old Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi down in the current Golden Boot race and the all-time scoring charts, he still concedes he has a lot to do to overtake the Argentine.
It was no surprise to Les Bleus’ number nine that Messi has continued to deliver on the big stage. He said (per ESPN): “I already knew Messi was going to keep scoring goals. He always does. He’s ahead of me and I’m behind him. I’ll keep scoring to help my national team go as far as possible.”
Following the greatest footballer of all time smashed a hat-trick against Algeria, Mbappe declared him still the best in the world. He claimed:
“It’s clear that Messi is the best in the world, and so is Cristiano [Ronaldo]. For 16 years, he [Messi] has shown his extraordinary talent. I’m just trying to do what I know how to do: show my talent on the biggest stage possible and help my national team.”
Newcastle United have lined up a deal to sign a midfielder this summer, as the Magpies face the possibility of losing some key players in the coming weeks.
A deal for the former seems the most likely, meaning Newcastle are on the market for replacements, and one target is now seemingly in the club’s sights.
Newcastle Add Felix Nmecha To Shortlist
According to a report from journalist Craig Hope, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha is on Newcastle’s shortlist as a transfer target for this summer.
The Magpies are described as “long-term admirers” of the 25-year-old, who has impressed in the Bundesliga as well as in the World Cup with Germany in recent weeks.
Nmecha has a release clause in his deal worth £73.5 million, though that doesn’t come into effect until next summer. That said, the report claims that there is hope a move can be negotiated for lower than that price.
There is likely to be some competition for Nmecha’s signature, as Manchester United have been linked with a transfer, along with fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool.
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle can get an agreement with both Dortmund and the Germany international over a potential transfer in the coming weeks as a result.
Newcastle are facing a tough summer transfer window, with Anthony Gordon’s exit set to be just the first of a few key moves away from the club.
Given the struggles in the Premier League last season, the Magpies will be keen to not be in a weaker position next campaign when it comes to the options available.
However, it may be the sales that help ensure that is the case. Selling some important players in favour of huge transfer fees could allow it to be reinvested in a way that will add a better balance of quality across the whole squad.
Newcastle United are in the market for a striker, as one star looks set to leave the club this summer.
That, in theory, should allow the team to become stronger. But that will only happen if the right transfer replacements are found for the right price.
That was the theory in practice last summer, with Alexander Isak’s sale generating a club-record fee, but resulting in the wrong options being signed to take his place.
Newcastle cannot allow a repeat of that, especially in the midfield engine room, which has been among the key areas of strength under Howe.
Yan Diomande’s early coach Faissal Chehade explains why Liverpool could be the perfect fit, and why his ceiling may be Ballon d’Or level.
Chehade, who worked with Diomande at Leganés, reveals on Market Madness what stood out from the very beginning: the confidence, the one-v-one ability, the training-ground moments that made coaches take notice, and the mentality behind his rise from rejection across Europe to becoming one of the most talked-about young players in world football.
He also breaks down why Leipzig was the right step, why Liverpool could give Diomande the platform to become “the main man,” and why he believes the winger has the potential to reach the very top of the game.
Chapters:
0:09 — Yan Diomande’s First Coach Reveals the Talent
2:07 — The Training Goal That Made Everyone Stop
3:36 — Why Yan Diomande Was Rejected Across Europe
4:21 — Why Leipzig Was the Perfect Move for Diomande
4:55 — Why Liverpool Could Be Yan Diomande’s Perfect Fit
8:02 — Yan Diomande’s Ballon d’Or Ceiling Explained
