Lakers come up short in OKC

OKC Russel Westbrook drives through the lane in
last nights game vs Lakers

For all that happened Tuesday night, nothing really happened.
The Lakers never led and played close up until the 6 minute mark in the final quarter.

They never showed the hunger that the defending Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder did.

And so the Lakers lost, 122-105, to fall back under the .500 mark in the latest example that they are not back to their preseason status as legitimate title contenders.

Mike D'Antoni's defense tied the NBA record for fewest turnovers forced, and Dwight Howard aggravated the torn labrum in his right shoulder and expressed frustration at not getting any field goal attempts in the second half.

When asked if that bothered him, Howard said: "Yeah." Then he added after a pause: "But we've got to play through it." Howard shot 1 for 7 from the field in the first half.

Lakers Pau Gasol lays on the floor grimmesing from the pain
on his body.

The Lakers' injury grew heavier with Metta World Peace spraining his right ankle in the final minutes and limping off the court, but he said he would play Wednesday in New Orleans. World Peace was the one who ran into Howard's arm early in the game, leaving Howard to say after the game: "Different kind of hit, but it's in a lot of pain."

Kobe Bryant played through an ulnar nerve contusion to his right elbow from the opening minutes, limiting some use of his right arm. But neither Bryant's 30 points nor Howard's 16 rebounds was enough compared to Oklahoma City's Russel Westbrook, who had 37 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and one turnover.

The turnover came with 5:06 to play and was the last one for Oklahoma City, which had just 2 tying the fewest in an NBA game. The fewest by a Lakers opponent all time was three, set by Phoenix against Mike Brown's Lakers last season. The fewest in the NBA this season by four by Philadelphia against Detroit on Nov. 14.

Oklahoma City entered the game averaging 15.8 turnovers, second-most in the NBA after Houston. Told that the Lakers who also blocked only one shot had tied an NBA record for fewest turnovers forced.

Kobe talking to Thunder's Kevin Durant in last nights loss.

Kobe Bryant dribbled up the court left handed and quickly fired in a 3point shot. Next time the Lakers got the ball, Bryant did it again.

At the end of the Lakers' bench, Robert Sacre stretched his arms up and out and howled to the heavens: "Mamba!"

Bryant's shot making despite a ulnar nerve contusion to his right elbow in the opening minutes Tuesday night gave the Lakers some bright spots.

Bryant returned to the locker room for treatment on his elbow after he hurt it trying to break free from Thabo Sefolosha's tough defensive coverage and aggravated it shortly after committing a foul. When he returned to the game, he passed up an open jump shot to drive and miss a left handed shot.
But Bryant worked through the problem and shot 5 of 9 from the field and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line to score 18 first-half points. His defense was not stellar, however. As halftime wound down, Bryant was still massaging above, below and right on his right elbow.