Magic Johnson Points to Major Lakers Concern Ahead of Thunder Series
Magic Johnson expressed his concern for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into Game 1 of their second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After defeating the Houston Rockets in the opening round, the Lakers now get to face the defending champions in the Western Conference semifinals. Game 1 from Paycom Center is on Tuesday.
Johnson has been watching his Lakers closely throughout the season. This is exactly why he knows the squad's main concern when they go up against the No. 1 seed Thunder.
"My Lakers have an uphill battle going against the reigning World Champions OKC and SGA, who in my mind was the MVP of the First Round of the Playoffs!" Johnson posted on X on Monday.
"To beat OKC, we have to find a way to not turn the ball over as much as we did against the Rockets and play great on both ends of the floor - so who's going to step up and provide scoring to help LeBron and Austin? One thing we all know is OKC can score the basketball, so the Lakers are going to have to play some of their best basketball!"
My Lakers have an uphill battle going against the reigning World Champions OKC and SGA, who in my mind was the MVP of the First Round of the Playoffs! To beat OKC, we have to find a way to not turn the ball over as much as we did against the Rockets and play great on both ends of…
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 4, 2026
According to Johnson, keeping their turnovers to a minimum will be key. The Lakers coughed up the ball 106 times in six games against Houston in the first round. That's 17.7 per game, which just won't cut it against OKC.
More importantly, Johnson highlighted the major issue L.A. faces on offense. With Luka Doncicstill sidelined, the Lakers will need someone else to step up in the scoring department outside of LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
James, 41, averaged 23.2 points throughout the Rockets series. Reaves, on the other hand, returned for Game 5 and put up 18.5 per contest in two matchups.
Rui Hachimura has been the Lakers' most consistent scorer behind their two stars. The 6-foot-8 power forward averaged 15.8 points on 54.3% shooting in the first round, and he will need to keep his foot on the gas against the Thunder.
Marcus Smart has been a revelation as well. After averaging 9.3 points in the regular season, the former Defensive Player of the Year upped his average to 14.7 in the playoffs.
Luke Kennard went off for 27 points on 5-of-5 from three-point territory in Game 1. However, he was nowhere to be found in the latter half of the series. The veteran sharpshooter scored just 11 points in Games 4 through 6. He went cold from downtown, shooting just 14.3%.
Kennard will need to be more consistent against the Thunder to give the Lakers a fighting chance. The same goes for starting center Deandre Ayton.
As Johnson pointed out, the Lakers will need to address their offensive issues while also doing everything in their power to hold down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. on the defensive end.
Game 1 from OKC will tip off on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Related: Lakers' Austin Reaves Sides With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Polarizing Debate
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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 7:45 PM.