Honoring Kobe Bryant’s 40th, a look back at the Mamba’s top 5 games versus OKC

April 20, 2010

Game 2,  Lakers win 95-92 to go up 2-0 in Series

Another classic LA Lakers – OKC Thunder match with Bryant taking control of the win to put the Lakers up 2-0 in the series.  Bryant scored 15 points in the fourth quarter alone, en route to his game-high 39 points. Durant countered with 32 points. Notably, the man who would go on to win MVP this past season (James Harden) was held scoreless in this match while Russell Westbrook scored 19 on an efficient 5 of 10 shooting.

It was yet another lesson for the original OK3 as the Lakers dispensed of the Thunder and went on to win their back to back titles that season. OKC pushed the series to six games with their first taste of playoff basketball the youngsters would use the series loss to return hungrier the following season when they used that to fuel a run deeper in the playoffs ultimately losing in the Western Conference Finals.

Bryant’s 39 points represented 41 percent of the Lakers scoring as he added five rebounds, an assist, and shot 42.9 percent from the field on 12 of 28 attempts.