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Lakers rebound with win over Thunder

Jan 18, 2011 - 6:53 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant supplied 21 points, seven assists and five rebounds and Pau Gasol totaled 21 points and seven boards as the Los Angeles Lakers hung on for a 101-94 win over Oklahoma City at Staples Center.

Lamar Odom contributed 16 points and seven caroms, while Derek Fisher added a season-high 15 points for the Lakers, who bounced back from a Sunday loss to the Clippers to win for an eighth time in their last nine games.

"We shot the ball better tonight," Los Angeles head coach Phil Jackson said. "Our defense kept them under 100 points and that is a good thing. We had the energy to beat a very talented young team."

Russell Westbrook poured in 32 points and handed out 12 assists, while Kevin Durant struggled to an 8-of-24 shooting performance in scoring 24 points for the Thunder, who had their winning streak halted at four games.

Oklahoma City shot a miserable 2-for-22 from three-point range in falling for an eighth straight time to the Lakers in Los Angeles.

"We didn't play well offensively," Thunder head coach Scott Brooks commented. "We didn't do a good job of moving the ball. The Lakers make you do things you don't want to do."

After the Thunder opened the second half with four points to grab a one-point lead, the Lakers embarked on a 14-0 run to forge a 13-point lead with 6:47 to play in the third quarter. Fisher, Ron Artest and Bryant all hit trifectas during the four-minute surge.

LA increased its lead to as many as 15 before the Thunder crept back to within 78-75 with a minute to go in the period after a 14-2 burst of their own. Steve Blake's triple made it an 81-75 game heading into the final stanza.

The Lakers scored four straight to take a seemingly comfortable 98-88 lead inside of four minutes, but the Thunder stuck around, scoring six in a row to slice the deficit to four with just over two minutes to play.

Jeff Green's three-point attempt to cut the lead to one bounced around and out with 52.9 seconds left before Bryant hit 1-of-2 at the line with 37.8 ticks to go.

Durant missed a runner in the lane prior to Bryant and Westbrook each missing a pair at the line. Westbrook then misfired from beyond the arc with 17.9 ticks to go to seal the visitors fate.

Durant scored 14 and Westbrook added eight in the first quarter that ended in a 28-28 tie.

Odom scored 10 points and Bryant chipped in with eight as the Lakers outscored the Thunder, 30-27, to fashion a 58-55 advantage at the intermission.

Game Notes

The Lakers have won 15 of the last 17 and 17 of the last 20 meetings...Bryant made 7-of-12 from the floor but struggled at the line, going just 6-for-11. Odom sank 6-of-9 shots...Andrew Bynum supplied 10 points and 10 boards in the victory...Westbrook made 12-of-23 from the floor and 8 out of 11 at the line. Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers, 54-48 in the paint.