Thiero, Carr lead Lakers past Thunder in Summer League opener

The Los Angeles Lakers opened NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas with a convincing 96-84 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, powered by standout performances from their two most recent draft picks.

Second-year forward Adou Thiero and first-round rookie Cameron Carr stole the show as Los Angeles controlled the game for most of the night, leading for nearly 87% of the contest and building a lead as large as 20 points.

Thiero finished with a team-high 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting while adding four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. His athleticism was on full display from start to finish.

The highlight came midway through the second quarter when Thiero exploded for a windmill dunk in transition that energized both the Lakers bench and the crowd inside Thomas & Mack Center. It was one of several highlight plays from the second-year pro, who also finished multiple alley-oops and powerful dunks throughout the night.

Carr looked every bit like a first-round selection in his Summer League debut. The rookie guard scored 18 points on an efficient 7-of-13 shooting while contributing two rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks.

The Baylor guard showed confidence creating his own offense and made an impact defensively with his length, helping slow Oklahoma City's perimeter attack.

Anton Watson added 15 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc, while Arthur Kaluma provided an instant spark off the bench. Kaluma was perfect offensively, scoring 18 points without missing a shot by going 5-for-5 from the field and 5-for-5 at the free-throw line.

Chris Mañon didn't fill up the scoring column with just four points, but his impact was evident. The Lakers' two-way guard recorded five assists, two steals and consistently disrupted Oklahoma City's ball handlers, helping force 20 Thunder turnovers.

Los Angeles separated itself with efficient offense and unselfish play. The Lakers shot 54% from the field while recording 24 assists on 37 made baskets. They also forced 20 turnovers, turning defense into easy scoring opportunities throughout the game.

After holding a slim one-point lead following the opening quarter, the Lakers took control before halftime by outscoring the Thunder 29-20 in the second. They continued to pull away in the third, scoring 33 points while stretching the advantage to 20 entering the final period.

Oklahoma City never seriously threatened in the fourth quarter despite getting 18 points from Bennett Stirtz and a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds from Brooks Barnhizer.

The Lakers begin their Las Vegas schedule with plenty of optimism after an impressive opening performance. More importantly, their last two draft picks looked like the best players on the floor, as Thiero and Carr gave Los Angeles an encouraging glimpse of its young future.