How to Stream Thunder vs. Lakers Live With Sling TV
How to watch the Thunder vs. Lakers Second Round series in the 2026 NBA Playoffs with Sling, plus full live stream schedule, preview, and more.
The Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the Second Round of the NBA Playoffs, a showdown between the NBA’s most iconic franchise and the defending champions. Games on ESPN, NBC, and ABC will be available to stream live with Sling. Here’s everything you need to know.
Use the link below to subscribe to Sling Essentials + Select now.
Thunder vs. Lakers Second Round Schedule: Dates, Times, and Channels
Here’s a look at the complete Conference Semifinal schedule between Oklahoma City and Los Angeles:
#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #4 Los Angeles Lakers
- Game 1: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City – Tuesday May 5 (8:30 ET, NBC)
- Game 2: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City – Thursday May 7 (9:30 ET, Prime Video)*
- Game 3: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles – Saturday May 9 (8:30 ET, ABC)
- Game 4: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles – Monday May 11 (10:30 ET, Prime Video)*
- Game 5: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City – Wednesday May 13 (If necessary)
- Game 6: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles – Saturday May 16 (If necessary)
- Game 7: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City – Monday May 18 (If necessary)
How to Watch Oklahoma City vs. Los Angeles with Sling
The first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs will be shared between the NBA’s 2026 broadcast partners: ABC, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, NBC, and Peacock. (Note: Prime Video and Peacock games require a separate subscription).
- Any game on ESPN is on Sling. Watch with Sling Essentials (our new plan for ESPN & more at the lowest price on the market), Sling Orange, or Sling Orange + Blue. You can also watch with a 1, 3, or 7 Day Pass subscription.
- Games on NBC and/or ABC will be available with Sling Select or Sling Blue in the markets listed below:
- If you live in any of these areas, Sling Essentials & Select will get you games on NBC and/or ABC, plus ESPN games. Take note Lakers fans – L.A. has both NBC and ABC!
- Games on Amazon Prime or Peacock require a separate subscription.
Subscribe to Sling Essentials + Select using the link below!
Oklahoma City vs. Los Angeles Series Preview: Things to Watch
https://youtu.be/HtHDWTLfw4w?si=z3DYu-NyBUoTdGmm
As a talking point, it’s growing stale, but it’s still significant: Luka Dončić remains out with injury. After suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain against the Thunder on April 2, Luka was forced to sit out the entire first round, and won’t be ready for the start of this series. While the Lakers are hoping he can return around Game 4, it’s still not clear how close he is to getting healthy. Luka’s absence is particularly acute against the Thunder, as he was the last superstar to end their season when the Mavericks knocked OKC out of the Western Conference Finals two years ago.
Still, the Lakers have one of the greatest players of all-time in LeBron James, and in the first round against the Rockets, “King James” once again showed why he’s earned such titles. The 41-year-old led all scorers in the Lakers’ fairly easy defeat of the Rockets, and his high basketball IQ will be essential to slowing down the game and limiting OKC’s transition buckets.
As a wise man once said: Good luck with that. Led by presumptive back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City is a beast on offense and even beastlier on D. They beat the Lakers 4-0 during the regular season and won by an average of 29.3 points, the largest average margin of victory against the Lakers by any team in a single season. That’s right: These Thunder whooped the Lakers like no team before. If L.A. can get Luka back and Austin Reeves regains his early-season form, they might have a chance. If not, it’s difficult to predict that this series will even get to seven games.
Series Odds and Prediction
https://youtu.be/C6goBlqOdzI?si=Bj8b9SKWcyrBDRez
If you’re a Lakers’ fan, there’s good news and bad news on the odds front. Yes, DraftKings Sportsbook has the Thunder listed as a preposterous -1600 favorite (meaning you’d have to risk $1,600 to win back just $100). On the other hand, the Lakers were +400 to beat the Rockets in the first round, which might have earned you a decent sum of money. If they can somehow beat the Thunder at +900 odds, you might even have enough to retire.
Prediction: Thunder in five.
To watch Thunder-Lakers games on ESPN with Sling, use the link below to subscribe to a 1 Day Pass! Or to watch all NBA Playoff games on ESPN with Sling, subscribe to our new Sling Essentials service, with ESPN and much more!