On Sunday afternoon, the Lakers went with the same game plan for a second straight game making Kobe a facilitator. The Lakers faced off against arguably the best team in the league in the Oklahoma City Thunder and weren’t expected to win despite playing at home at the Staples Center.
Regardless of the team’s expectations heading into this showdown with Kevin Durant and company, the new-look Lakers were able to contend with the Thunder throughout the entire game and pull away from top team in the Western Conference in the fourth quarter.
Kobe had an almost identical performance on Sunday in comparison to Friday’s game against the Jazz. The five-time NBA champion dished out 14 assists while scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds to help lead the Lakers over the Thunder, 105,96.
With the biggest win of the season in the books, the Lakers will have one more game at home against the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday before heading out on a seven-game road trip that will almost certainly test this team from start to finish.
In other news, backup point guard Steve Blake will return to the floor for the Lakers on Tuesday against the Hornets after finally being cleared to play. Blake hasn’t played since suffering an abdomen injury that required surgery.
Lakers Nation News
Lakers Nation Wishes Happy Birthday To Owner Dr. Jerry Buss
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Believes Lakers Are Beginning To Gel
Lakers News: Steve Blake Set To Return Tuesday Vs. Hornets
Lakers Rumors: Stan Van Gundy Believes Dwight Howard Return 50-50
Lakers News: Steve Nash Praises Kobe’s Teamwork Following Utah Win
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Suggests Team Meeting Helped The Lakers
Lakers Videos Of The Week: Metta World Therapy And Superman Slams
System Failure: Pau Gasol Must Come Off The Bench
Basketball Breakdown: What’s Wrong With The Lakers?
Based On Performance, Does Dwight Howard Deserve To Be An All-Star?
Lakers News
His Name Is Earl, And He’s An Unlikely Lakers Starter Now [LA Times]
Lakers’ Dwight Howard Wants To Set A New Touch-Tone [LA Times]
Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash Receive Italian National Team Jerseys [LA Times]
Watch: Video Breakdown Of What Isn’t Working For The Lakers [LA Times]
Lakers’ Teammates Prefer Kobe Bryant As Willing Passer [LA Times]
Lakers’ Dwight Howard Talks About The Present, Not The Future [LA Times]
Lakers’ Latest Positive Vibe To Be Tested By Thunder [OC Register]
Ding: Jump Ball For Lakers’ Future Ownership? [OC Register]
Howard Energizes Lakers [OC Register]
Negativity Vexes Lakers [OC Register]
Tweetbag: Kobe’s Passing, Dwight’s Effort [Silver Screen & Roll]
Steve Blake Has A “Shot” At Playing Tuesday [Silver Screen & Roll]
Why Do The Lakers Stink? [Silver Screen & Roll]
Playing The Percentages Of The Lakers’ Blame Game [LA Daily News]
LAKERS NOTEBOOK: Bryant’s Playmaking A Positive [LA Daily News]
LAKERS NOTEBOOK: Buss Family Denies They’re Selling The Team [LA Daily News]
Lakers Forward Earl Clark Set To Be Unrestricted Free Agent After Season [LA Daily News]
Lakers v. Thunder: Kobe Sharing Is Caring [Forum Blue & Gold]
NBA News
Video: Kevin Durant Throws Down Powerful Two-Handed Jam On Lakers [Sports City]
Breaking News: Celtics’ Rondo Out Indefinitely With Torn ACL [Sports City]
NBA Morning Recap: Kyrie Sinks Raptors; Blazers Clip Clippers [Sports City]
NBA Play Of The Week: JaVale McGee Goes Off The Glass For The Jam [Sports City]
Video: LeBron James Gives Fan Bear Hug After Made Halfcourt Shot [Sports City]
Celtics Win Over Heat Silver Lining On Dark, Cloudy Day [Pro Basketball Talk]
Stephen Curry Receives Invite To All-Star Weekend’s Three-Point Contest [Pro Basketball Talk]
The Play Where Rajon Rondo May Have Suffered His Season-Ending ACL Injury [Pro Basketball Talk]
Kenneth Faried Would Like You To Meet His Two Mothers [Pro Basketball Talk]
Report: Raptors More Interested In Moving Lowry Than Calderon [Pro Basketball Talk]
Russell Westbrook Is From The Future [SB Nation]
Irving, Henderson Hit Buzzer Beaters [SB Nation]
Bogut Unsure When He’ll Play Again [SB Nation]
The Good, The Bad And The Snubs [SB Nation]
Celtics Owner Says ‘There’s A Likelihood Of Moves’ [SB Nation]