Ajay Mitchell delivered a career playoff performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 131-108 in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday night at crypto.com Arena, with the guard finishing with 24 points and 10 assists in a controlled road win.
Speaking postgame, Mitchell pointed directly to the second-half adjustment that shifted momentum for Oklahoma City Thunder. “Yeah, I mean, I think it wasn’t our best half and in the locker room, we just talked about it, knew that we had to adjust and be better. I think we did a great job coming out of the half.”
The Thunder responded by outscoring the Los Angeles Lakers 33-20 in the third quarter, continuing a pattern of late-game separation that has defined their postseason run. Mitchell emphasized the team’s approach rather than the scoreboard swing.
He explained the mindset shift that has carried him through his first extended playoff role. “I think the biggest thing for me was just going out there and being confident. I know what I can do. When I go out there, I just want to compete and help this team win, play freely, have confidence. Obviously my teammates gave me a lot of confidence and the coaching staff, so it’s been amazing to see that.”
That confidence, according to Mitchell, is reinforced internally across the roster. “Yeah, I think the bonds that we were able to build from day one were pretty special. Learning from every single guy on our team and then hearing it from them, just giving me confidence and being like go out there, go hoop, be yourself. I think that was huge for me.”
The second-year guard also pointed to the Thunder’s response to past playoff setbacks in road Game 3 situations. “Yeah, I think it’s more about our team and how we approach game three. Especially this year, we knew what happened last year. We had a couple slips in game threes and we knew right away that this year we wanted to take care of that and be better in those games, just be ourselves.”
Mitchell’s path into a starting role has been unconventional, shaped by his development from Belgium to college basketball at UCSB and then into a rotation player on a title-contending roster. That background remains part of his mindset.
“For me individually, it’s been more of just being grateful. Looking back to where I was, looking back to myself as a little kid in Belgium just dreaming of playing in the NBA. God putting me in those positions, I just really feel grateful for those opportunities. I feel like I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder. Every time I step out on the court, I just want to prove myself and be a winning player and help my team win.”
Within Oklahoma City’s system, Mitchell also highlighted how leadership tone influences execution, especially from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “Yeah, it’s huge obviously when your star player is reacting to every play that any guy on the team makes. Every single player on our team is going to react when one of our guys makes a good play. It’s just the team that we are.”
He also described the effect of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s composure in tight moments. “It’s pretty cool to see that from your star player. No matter what’s going on in the game, he’s always going to be calm, collected. I think that just gives all of us a huge boost in confidence and knowing that we’re good no matter what.”
When the game tightened early in the fourth quarter with Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench, Mitchell expanded his role and helped stabilize the possession flow. “Felt great, just going out there trying to make good plays. Being aggressive, finding my teammates, finding shots for myself. Just felt very good, very comfortable, and happy we got it done and made a run.”
Game 4 will take place Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Thunder enter with a 7-0 playoff record and a 2-1 series lead, continuing a dominant stretch built on depth, continuity, and expanding contributions across the rotation.
