LOS ANGELES – The walk from the sidewalk to the bus inside Terminal 4 at LAX is nearly a quarter mile. Two flights of stairs up, two escalators down, through a mosaic-walled hallway that Pam Grier once strutted through in “Jackie Brown,” then back up again. Then a 10-minute bus ride along the runway, past planes and service vehicles, before arriving at the remote American Airlines terminal for one of the only direct flights to Oklahoma City. That’s the journey from Los Angeles to OKC. But the Lakers’ journey this season has been far more dramatic – from good to bad, from false contenders to legitimate threats, from a team searching for identity to a squad that believes it can win a championship. The Lakers come to Oklahoma City on Thursday night as the most popular team in the league, except for the one they’re playing. They bring the best player in the NBA – Luka Doncic – except for the reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who remains the betting favorite for the award. They bring a clear, winning style of play, only to test it against a Thunder team that Lakers coach JJ Redick says has been perfecting that exact system for five years. To the casual observer, it might seem like the Lakers have been hot for five weeks. But Thursday’s game against the defending NBA champions and the league’s current best team is a tremendous opportunity to test their emerging belief: that they, too, could be a championship team. It really shouldn’t be surprising. The Lakers opened the season with three explicitly stated goals: integrate Doncic, improve defensively, and stay healthy. They’ve done all three. Since the All-Star break, Los Angeles has the league’s second-best defensive rating. Doncic has found his rhythm after the trade from Dallas. LeBron James, at an age when most players are in broadcast booths, is still throwing down dunks and delivering in clutch moments. And role players like Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt have stepped up. The result? A 13-1 run over their last 14 games, including wins over top teams like Cleveland, Boston, and Denver. But Oklahoma City is a different beast. The Thunder have the NBA’s best record (60-16), the best point differential, and a defense that suffocates opponents. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having a historic season, and he’s surrounded by length, athleticism, and shooting. Jalen Williams is an All-Star snub who plays like a star. Chet Holmgren protects the rim and spaces the floor. And the bench – oh, that bench – goes 10 deep without a drop-off. The Thunder have lost only eight games at home all season. The Lakers have won 13 of their last 14 overall, but their road record against elite teams is less stellar. So can the Lakers keep it going in OKC? That’s the million-dollar question. If they win, the narrative shifts: the Lakers become the true threat to the Thunder’s throne. If they lose, it’s just another reminder that OKC is the class of the West. Either way, this game is appointment viewing. The Athletic’s deep dive into this matchup highlights the tactical chess match between Redick and Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. Can the Lakers’ improved defense slow down SGA? Can OKC’s switching defense handle the Doncic-LeBron two-man game? We’ll find out Thursday night. One thing’s for sure: the road to the NBA Finals goes through Oklahoma City, and the Lakers are about to knock on the door. Whether they break it down or get turned away will tell us everything about the rest of the season.