Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort enters the Western Conference Semifinals with championship experience already in his résumé, as the team prepares to host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 on Tuesday at Paycom Center.
The Thunder open the series at 8:30 PM ET with both teams carrying key absences, shaping the early playoff dynamics on both sides.
Dort emphasized the value of last year’s postseason run when discussing Oklahoma City’s approach this time around, pointing to experience as a defining factor in their preparation.
“The biggest difference is the experience, obviously, because we know what it takes,” Dort told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “The playoffs to me is a whole new season. It’s going to be a lot of tough battles and the experience we had last year is definitely going to help us through it.”
Oklahoma City finished the regular season as the Western Conference’s top seed and enters the matchup after a first-round sweep of Phoenix, maintaining strong defensive consistency.
The Lakers arrive after a six-game series win over Houston, but will be without Luka Doncic due to a left hamstring strain, shifting their offensive structure around LeBron James and supporting perimeter options.
Dort also spoke about respect for elite perimeter scorers across the league, including Boston forward Jaylen Brown, highlighting physicality and consistency as defining traits.
“Jaylen Brown for real? As a scorer, he’s ‘on go’ every single time,” Dort said. “He doesn’t shy away from any type of contact. He’s going downhill no matter what and that’s just the type of player he is—physical and aggressive.”
He added that Brown’s two-way commitment stands out, especially against high-level matchups in playoff environments.
“The fact that he’s doing it on both ends—being aggressive offensively and defensively and taking on those tough matchups—I have a lot of respect for that,” Dort said.
When discussing perimeter defenders he studies, Dort referenced a mix of teammates and league peers, including Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, and Ajay Mitchell, while also acknowledging defensive talent across the NBA.
He also highlighted the Thompson twins and Jaden McDaniels as part of a broader group of respected wing defenders, while noting internal competition as a key standard within Oklahoma City’s roster.
Oklahoma City’s defensive identity remains central heading into Game 1, particularly with Jalen Williams sidelined due to a hamstring strain alongside Thomas Sorber’s ACL recovery absence.
