PSG blows Lille away 4-1 to warm up for Liverpool in Champions League

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for Liverpool with a 4-1 win over Lille on Saturday as it consolidated its runaway French league lead.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia watched the goals from the substitutes’ bench as PSG coach Luis Enrique rested the Georgia star ahead of Liverpool’s visit in the Champions League. Paris hosts the Premier League leader for the first leg of their last 16 meeting on Wednesday.

Lille, which had been fourth ahead of the 24th round, had pushed for Saturday’s game to be postponed because of its own Champions League match at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

PSG showed no sympathy.

Bradley Barcola opened the scoring in the sixth minute on a rebound after Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier saved Ousmane Dembelé’s initial effort.

Chevalier went on to make a string of saves as PSG made a furious start but he couldn’t stop Marquinhos from heading in the home team’s second in the 22nd.

Dembelé was left free on the right to grab the third six minutes later – his 18th of the season – and the 19-year-old Desiré Doué made it 4-0 in the 37th with a brilliant strike to the top left corner.

Lille failed to have a single effort at goal in the first half. Génésio reacted at the break with two changes, sending on Icelandic midfielder Hakon Haraldsson and 18-year-old midfielder Ethan Mbappé, Kylian Mbappé’s younger brother.

They didn’t stop the PSG fans singing in the stands, but Chevalier had less work to do than before.

Enrique made four changes at once for the last half hour, with Achraf Hakimi and Dembelé among those going off for a rest, while Kvaratskhelia and Warren Zaire-Emery came on, the latter continuing his comeback from a left ankle injury.

Canada forward Jonathan David, also a substitute, scored Lille’s consolation in the 80th on a rebound after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved Mbappé’s shot.

PSG moved 16 points clear of Marseille with its 10th straight win across all competitions. Marseille hosts Nantes on Sunday.

Earlier Saturday, Nice stayed third with a 3-1 win at Saint-Etienne, and relegation-threatened Le Havre grabbed a 4-3 win at Lens thanks to a penalty from Egyptian forward Kouka in stoppage time. It was the first time Le Havre had taken the lead in the game.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSG's Joao Neves, left, and Lille's Benjamin Andre challenge the ball during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Goncalo Ramos, left, PSG's Joao Neves, center, and PSG's Fabian Ruiz react during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG supporters burn flares during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Marquinhos heads the ball during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Nuno Mendes kicks the ball during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Bradley Barcola celebrates scoring his side first goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PSG's Bradley Barcola celebrates scoring his side first goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't scoring the way he usually does, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are still winning the way they normally do.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, averaged 31.1 points during the regular season. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he is averaging 20 points and taking only 14 shots per game.

Oklahoma City has still won the first two games by an average of 18 points. Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 22 points, and the defending champion Thunder beat the Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night.

Ajay Mitchell, starting in place of injured Jalen Williams, is averaging 19 points on 50% shooting in the series for Oklahoma City.

“I think the coaching staff does a good job at just getting all of us ready,” said Mitchell, a second-year guard. "And we have a lot of competitors. Like, everyone’s a competitor on our team. So every time the lights are bright, everyone’s ready to go.”

Holmgren is the leading scorer for the Thunder in the best-of-seven series with 23 points per game. The 2026 All-Star also is averaging 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

Jared McCain, a midseason acquisition from the Philadelphia 76ers, barely played in the first round against Phoenix but has averaged 15 points and made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the series.

“He goes in there, stays in character, stays aggressive," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "He’s going to shoot the next shot. He makes the right plays, plays inside the team. He competes defensively, has had good defensive possessions for us. And he was huge tonight. You need that in a playoff series.”

The Lakers again were without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. They also were missing forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve forward who dislocated the pinkie on his right hand during the second quarter of Game 1. The Lakers had three players finish with five fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late in the game.

Los Angeles guard Austin Reaves, who struggled with his shot in Game 1, scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Game 1, followed that up with 23.

With the Lakers up 63-61 early in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander got tied up with Reaves and was called for his fourth foul. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander's follow through. Oklahoma City's Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul as the situation was being sorted out.

Gilgeous-Alexander left the game with the Lakers up 65-61, but the Thunder rallied and took control without him. On a fast break, Holmgren found a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 while Gilgeous-Alexander was out in the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth.

“It was amazing," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They strung together stops, they’re playing the right way offensively and things are going their way. Full confidence in those guys. They know how to win basketball games. And we've proven that. They’ve proven that no matter who’s on the floor, they know how to get the job done. And they just did it again tonight."

The Lakers cut Oklahoma City's lead to five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder pulled away again.

Los Angeles will host Game 3 on Saturday.

“We just stuck with it,” Holmgren said. “It’s the game of basketball. It’s not always going to go your way. It’s about how you respond. And this team has proven many times that we know how to respond. And we did so tonight.”

This story has been corrected to show that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20, not 19, points per game against the Lakers.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves (15) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, front, works for a shot as Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves, rear, defends in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James stands on the court in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Los Angeles Lakers' Deandre Ayton (5) and LeBron James, rear, in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) works to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)