Thunder ride Ajay Mitchell's star turn to 3-0 lead over Lakers - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — It comes as no surprise that the Los Angeles Lakers are being lit up by an Oklahoma City Thunder guard through three games of their Western Conference semifinals series.

But while the Lakers have actually succeeded in slowing reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — holding him to 21.0 points per game, more than 10 fewer that his season average — they don't have any answers for second-year guard Ajay Mitchell.

The Belgian-born second-round pick, who wasn't even in the Thunder's playoff rotation as a rookie during Oklahoma City's championship run last season, torched the Lakers for 24 points and 10 assists without a turnover Saturday in a dominant 131-108 win in Game 3. His performance has the defending champs on the precipice of their second straight sweep despite a pedestrian series so far by Gilgeous-Alexander.

«We all know on the team that he's good,» injured Thunder star wing Jalen Williams told ESPN, «and now the world is kind of finding out.»

Mitchell, 23, is thriving as a fill-in starter while Williams recovers from a left hamstring strain that he suffered in Game 2 of the first round against the Phoenix Suns. He has averaged 20.7 points, 6.7 assists and only 1.0 turnover while shooting 53.3% from the floor in the three wins over the Lakers.

«I think the biggest thing for me was just going out there and being confident,» Mitchell said. «I know what I can do. When I go out there, I just want to compete and help this team win and play freely.»

Mitchell has also been a major factor for the Thunder defensively in the series, taking the primary assignment of guarding Lakers star Austin Reaves to start games. Reaves had his second poor shooting performance of the series Saturday, when he was 5-of-13 from the