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Game 3: Durant 29/19 game helps Thunder beat Lakers

The AP reports:

Kevin Durant had 29 points and 19 rebounds, and snapped out of a shooting funk while guarding Bryant to lead the decisive run, lifting the Thunder to a 101-96 victory in Game 3 on Thursday night in the first playoff game in Oklahoma City…

Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 22 of the final 23 for the Thunder, including every point during a 10-2 surge that put Oklahoma City ahead to stay…

Bryant scored 24 points to surpass Jerry West’s franchise record for playoff scoring, and Pau Gasol had 17 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles.

But when it came down to crunch time, Bryant couldn’t deliver as he did in scoring 15 fourth-quarter points to seal the Lakers’ 95-92 victory in Game 2. He went 2 for 10 in the final 12 minutes, with Durant stopping between free throws at one point to motion to the bench that he wanted to guard the former MVP…

“That was the loudest I’ve ever heard a crowd get,” said James Harden, a rookie reserve who scored 18 points after going scoreless in Games 1 and 2.

Phil Jackson disappointed by Lakers shooting vs Thunder

Elliot Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News reports:

Lakers coach Phil Jackson wasn’t exactly thrilled by the Lakers’ play.

“I thought our shooting was horrendous,” Jackson said. “Guys had open looks (at the basket). Ron, Derek (Fisher), Lamar (Odom), we’re talking about experienced guys. We have to shoot better when we go to Oklahoma City.”

The Lakers held the Thunder to 29-for-74 shooting (39.2 percent), but made only 33 of 88 shots (37.5 percent). Fisher scored five points on 2-for-10 shooting, Odom had four points on 2-for-9 shooting and Andrew Bynum had six points on 3-for-9 shooting.

Oklahoma City blocked 17 shots, the most by a Lakers playoff opponent. Down the stretch, the teams traded blows like a pair of heavyweights. Neither could land a haymaker. Neither would yield an inch.

Game 2: Kobe scores 39, Lakers beat Thunder 95-92

The AP reports:

Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, carrying the Lakers in the fourth quarter when they lost the lead three times, and Los Angeles beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 95-92 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in a Western Conference playoff series.

Bryant was 13 of 15 from the free throw line, but just 12 of 28 from the floor in front of his dad Joe, who sat next to the Lakers’ bench.

Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 32 points and Russell Westbrook added 19, making all eight of his free throws.

Pau Gasol had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum had six points and 10 boards for the defending champions, who failed to sustain their strong start for the second straight game.

Artest locks Durant down in Game 1

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports:

Ron Artest fancies gimmicks as well but on Sunday in the Lakers’ 87-79 Game 1 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Artest’s defense and not his hair was the difference. He was, if you will, Goldie Lock-down defender.

He made life absolutely miserable for Kevin Durant, who became the NBA’s youngest scoring champion by averaging 30.2 points this season. Durant’s playoff initiation is something the lean and long 21-year-old will never forget. Durant scored 24 points on 24 shots. He made just seven shots, fired up a couple of air balls and never found a rhythm.

“I was frustrated,” said Durant, who made 9 of 11 from the foul line. “I was missing shots I normally make. They felt good leaving my hand. If I made 4-5 more shots, maybe it’s a different game.”

Game 1: Lakers inside duo overpower Thunder 87-79

The AP reports:

Other than being out of breath, Andrew Bynum displayed little rust in teaming with Pau Gasol to dominate the middle in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 87-79 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their playoff series opener Sunday…

Gasol scored 19 points, Bynum added 13 and Kobe Bryant had 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting after missing four of the final five regular season games to rest his swollen right knee and broken right index finger…

Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 24 points on 7-of-24 shooting in his playoff debut—under the 30.1 average of the NBA’s youngest-ever scoring champion. Former UCLA star Russell Westbrook added 23.

Andrew Bynum returns to practice

ESPN reports:

Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who missed the final 13 games of the regular season with a strained left Achilles tendon, returned to the floor for a full practice Friday for the first time since suffering the injury on March 19.

Bynum practiced with the team ahead of Sunday’s playoff opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center (Noon p.m. PT, ABC) and was pleased with the outcome.

“I felt very good,” he said. “Really, no pain. It went good.”

Lakers coach Phil Jackson was encouraged by Bynum’s effort. “We’re very pleased. He’s certainly not in any space where he feels like he’s back, I’m sure, but we’re pleased he was able to run and play and participate.”

NBA fines Phil Jackson yet again

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson has been fined $35,000 for publicly criticizing game officials, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Jackson was fined for comments made to the media on April 13.

We’ll add more detail over the next hour. We are guessing this is in regard to Jackson saying that Kevin Durant gets lots of calls in his favor. This page will be updated shortly.

CC Sabathia chimes in on LeBron staying or going

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

CC Sabathia told WFAN there’s a likelier chance of his friend LeBron James leaving for New York if Cleveland wins the NBA title.

Asked about James’ thought process, Sabathia told hosts Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno, “I think it depends on what happens this year in the playoffs and how they play, to see how close they get and if they win, how that weighs in his decision.

“I know he wants to go where he can win. I know he likes the idea of New York.”

Sabathia added, “I think if he won (a title), it would be easier for him to leave.”

NBA will discuss issue of players resting

The AP reports:

David Stern says the issue of players resting at the end of the regular season will be discussed among NBA executives, though he doesn’t see anything coming of it.

The commissioner says he is “troubled by it, because it would be our preference that healthy players play,” but says the decision is one that has always been left up to the teams.

InsideHoops.com Says:

I totally understand NBA teams about to enter the playoffs wanting to make sure their key players are healthy for the post-season. But of course, fans who are paying big ticket prices for games want to see good action, and not the bench guys playing while star players barely break a sweat or sit out entirely. But that’s just how it is. Fans going to the last few games of the regular season simply need to know that depending on a team’s situation, a key star or two may not be out there.

Kobe Bryant sitting out last two regular season games

Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reports:

The text message arrived on Phil Jackson’s cellphone Sunday at 8 p.m., a few hours after the Lakers’ latest loss.

Kobe Bryant wanted to sit out the last two regular-season games.

It was somewhat surprising, seeing how Bryant had just told reporters he wanted to continue playing because “you can’t rest too much … you get rusty,” but then came the text, eventually followed by the Lakers’ official announcement Monday afternoon that Bryant won’t play another game until the playoff opener because of his broken right index finger.