Lakers in the News 5/15/12: Oklahoma City stealing Lakers' thunder as West's top team

[Cha*n]

Oklahoma City stealing Lakers' thunder as West's top team

By Mark Medina

May 15, 2012, 11:35 a.m.
As he approached center court, Kobe Bryant offered handshakes to Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant and guard Russell Westbrook. The greeting provided two figurative meanings.

Part of it involved Bryant's confidence. The Lakers had just defeated Oklahoma City in a six-game, first-round series in the 2010 NBA playoffs, confirming once again that experience and size beats youth and speed. Three playoff series later, Bryant would collect his fifth NBA championship ring.

But part of Bryant's handshakes also reflected his fear and respect for Oklahoma City. The Lakers had trouble keeping up with Westbrook. They struggled to keep their focus in the deafening din of the Thunder's rowdy arena. And for a team accustomed to waltzing through the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Lakers were forced to sharpen their game.

"They're going to be a team we're going to have to deal with for years to come," Bryant told ESPN's Lisa Salters immediately after the Lakers' series-clinching win.

In just a two-year span, the changing of the guard has already taken place. Some may not have anticipated the Lakers' 119-90 Game 1 loss Monday to the Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals because of the score. But they anticipated the outcome. The Lakers had already entered this series as nearly unanimous underdogs and they offered little reason in Game 1 to alter that perception. Meanwhile, the changes that have taken place since the Lakers eliminated the Thunder in the 2010 NBA playoffs have been drastic.

[Cha*n]

Thunder Clobber Lakers 119-90 in Game 1

By JEFF LATZKE AP Sports Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY May 15, 2012 (AP)

For the second time in less than a week, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers must figure out how to fight back after a humbling loss.

Bryant responded the first time by calling out his teammates for lackluster effort.

It might not be so simple this time.

Russell Westbrook had 27 points and nine assists, Kevin Durant added 25 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder blasted the weary Lakers 119-90 Monday night in the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals.

This blowout came four days after Bryant's Lakers trailed by as many as 28 in a loss at Denver, then bounced back to win Game 7. They'll need to find some answers before Game 2 in Oklahoma City on Wednesday night.

[Cha*n]

Changing of guard doesn't change L.A.'s old playoff problem

Posted May 15 2012 10:55AM

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Derek Fisher, dumped by the Lakers when they wanted an upgrade at point guard, now plays for the Thunder ... and his successor was dismantled Monday by Thunder starter Russell Westbrook as Fisher looked on. Rich.

It would be sweet vindication for Fisher if that were in his nature. It would also be foolish to think that the autopsy would have read differently had he still been wearing purple, no matter how many playoff moments he had in L.A.

The fact is, now that Ramon Sessions is playing piñata at the point, the Lakers still don't have an answer for speed ball handlers. And the Thunder still have Westbrook. End of discussion.

Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinal saw Westbrook pile up 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting, nine assists (against one turnover) and seven rebounds in an overwhelming individual showing that led an overwhelming 119-90 Thunder victory at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

[Cha*n]

Lakers helped launch Thunder

Oklahoma City never forgot its early exit from the 2010 playoffs via L.A.

Updated: May 15, 2012, 7:34 AM ET
By Dave McMenamin | ESPNLosAngeles.com

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Los Angeles Lakers were outplayed, outhustled and outclassed by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, and the funny thing about it is, the Thunder would never be this good if it wasn't for the Lakers pushing them to this point.


Just like Dr. Frankenstein paid his price for tinkering in the lab, the Lakers are partly responsible for creating this monster Thunder team by ousting them from the playoffs in 2010 after a hard-fought six-game series in the first round.

Noah Graham/Getty ImagesThe first time Russell Westbrook faced the Lakers in the playoffs, he wasn't much of a factor. This time around, the Lakers didn't have an answer for him.


Sure, the Lakers got their ring that year, but Oklahoma City has been waiting for payback ever since, and got its first taste of revenge with a 119-90 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

[Cha*n]

Lakers Won't Beat Thunder Until They Adapt Game Plan

Posted: 05/15/2012 12:35 pm

The prevailing theory that an NBA Playoff series doesn't officially start until the home team loses a game may still hold true under most circumstances, but in the case of Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Lakers, Game 1 Monday night showed us that sometimes it is just that -- a theory.

It has been a trying first season for the Lakers without Phil Jackson at the helm. Newly minted head coach Mike Brown, known in league circles as a defensive guru, lacks the creativity in his offensive scheme that Jackson had with the slow-paced, but mostly efficient triangle. Instead of force-feeding the post to Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol and playing inside-out, Brown is content merely to run his half-court offense through Kobe Bryant. Clearly, there are worse things in the world, and Bryant will win his fair share of games, but in this series against this team, it won't work.

The Thunder is too long and too quick on the perimeter. It boasts an elite wing defender in Thabo Sefolosha, whose sole focus against LA is to make Kobe work for every single bucket. Point guard Ramon Sessions was a nice pickup at the trade deadline, but he lacks the speed to beat Russell Westbrook off the dribble, managing just 2 points on 1-7 shooting to go along with three assists in Game 1 -- which brings us full circle to Bynum and Gasol.

[Cha*n]

Lakers find no answer for Russell Westbrook

By Darnell Mayberry / The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - Added 11 hours ago

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- For two years, the Los Angeles Lakers figured they had an answer for Russell Westbrook.

They thought they could sic their All-NBA defender on Oklahoma City’s Tasmanian devil of a point guard and eliminate their biggest matchup problem.

Might be time they think again.

When Los Angeles walked into Chesapeake Energy Arena on Monday night, the Lakers ran into a different Russell Westbrook. This version has grown, bigger, faster, stronger and smarter than he was two seasons ago. And once he got going, the Lakers had nothing, and most importantly, no one who could slow him down.

The Thunder thumped the Lakers 119-90 in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series behind Westbrook’s all-around dominance.

Westbrook scored a game-high 27 points on 10-for-15 shooting. He pulled down seven rebounds, dished out nine assists and turned it over just once in 27 minutes.

Seven seconds in, Westbrook set the tone by snatching the first of his two steals on the night. On this one, he jumped a Ramon Sessions entry pass into Pau Gasol and sparked a fast break that led to a Thabo Sefolosha layup. On the next Thunder possession, Westbrook found Kevin Durant for a driving, stretching, left-handed dunk over Lakers center Andrew Bynum.

[Cha*n]

Sorry, I just couldn't get the motivation to post the depressing news last night post-game. It wasn't easy today. I usually read the articles I post. Not today, me sad Lakers fan.

[PhillyDoc]

The problem with the title is that the Spurs are by far the West's best team based on the last 50 games and head to head with the Thunder and Lakers!

[revgen]

[Chick-N-Stew]

Not so fast.
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Mama, There Goes That Mamba.