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Lakers visit Thunder in search of fifth straight win

Feb 24, 2009 - 11:20 AM LA Lakers (46-10) at Oklahoma City (13-43) 8:00 p.m. EST

OKLAHOMA CITY (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Lakers go for their fifth straight win Tuesday when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Los Angeles owns a comfortable eight-game lead over the next best team in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs. A visit to Oklahoma City gives the Lakers a good chance to at least keep that advantage.

The Lakers are coming off a hard-fought 111-108 victory over Minnesota on Sunday. Kobe Bryant scored 28 points, Lamar Odom collected 25 and 14 rebounds and Pau Gasol added 25 points in the comeback win.

Minnesota led by as much as 89-84 with 8:37 left in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers stormed back in front and held on for the victory.

The Thunder have lost five straight games despite the continued scoring spree from Kevin Durant, who has scored 30 points or more in seven of his last eight games.

Durant had 32 points in a 133-120 setback at Golden State on Saturday. Rookie Russell Westbrook matched his career-high with 31 points while dishing out 11 assists in the losing effort.

In the previous meeting between the two teams on February 10, Bryant dropped 34 to outduel Durant's 31 in a 105-98 win for Los Angeles.