Durant scores 32; Kobe 39 as series shifts to OKC.

LOS ANGELES, CA–So often, important games are decided by the smallest of margins.

On Sunday afternoon the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder by eight points 87-79 with OKC’s Russell Westbrook as the surprise player of the game.  Tonight, the Lakers lost by only three and take a 2-0 series lead to Oklahoma City on Thursday night, defeating the Thunder 95-92.

Kevin Durant shot  12 for 26 with 8 rebounds to lead the Thunder with Russell Westbrook scoring 19 points on a 5 for 10 shooting effort with six rebounds.  Westbrook was an even 8 for 8 in three pointers on the night.  In the end it was the stellar play of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant who carried the Lakers to the win, shooting 12-28 from the floor and sinking an inpressive 13 free throws on 15 visits to the line.  Pau Gasol had 25 points and 12 boards and Andrew Bynum scored 6 points and had 10 rebounds to round out the Lakers scoresheet.

The scene now shifts to Oklahoma City as the Sooner State hosts it’s first ever NBA Playoff game at 8:30pm on Thursday night in the Ford Center.  The game will be televised nationally on TNT, (cable-29 in Tulsa) and Fox Sports Oklahoma (cable 27).

Photo by Kevin Pyle.