Lakers' Andrew Bynum Unsure Of Future After Game 5 Loss

Following yet another second-round exit, the future of the Los Angeles Lakers is all Lakers' fans have to talk about. Part of that future is Andrew Bynum - or is it?

After game five's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Bynum was unsure of whether or not he had a long-term future with the organization to ESPN Los Angeles' Dave McMenamin.

"I'm not sure," Bynum said. "It really doesn't matter to me. I'll play anywhere. I think for the most part I had a pretty decent season and an OK postseason, so we'll see."

Bynum's evaluation of himself is pretty spot on. In this his seventh season, he averaged career highs with 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds and followed that with 17.3 points and 11.7 rebounds in the postseason prior to Monday night's game.

The Lakers see him as part of their future but only time will tell if the two sides see themselves in a long-term marriage. It has been said that the team plans to pick up Bynum's $16.1 million option for the 2012-13 season.

"It's going to depend on what the team wants to do," Bynum said of the extension. "I would definitely want to be a Laker. It's going to be up to the team."

For more on Bynum and the Lakers' future, check out Silver Screen and Roll.

2012 NBA Playoffs: Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 5 Highlights

Here are some of the highlights of the Lakers being eliminated by the Thunder last night.

Pau Gasol was denied by his future Spanish National teammate Serge Ibaka.

Kobe Bryant had an incredible, acrobatic, left-handed shot.

Nazr Mohammed decided to attack the rim with force.

Metta World Peace makes faces.

Then World Peace rubs his BFF James Harden on the head where he knocked him.

After a flagrant foul on World Peace, he picked up a technical for his ... reaction.

Bryant went to the one-foot fadeaway a la Dirk.

The game turned on Russell Westbrook's crazy and-one layup.

Westbrook's reaction was emphatic.

Kevin Durant then hit an epic three that pretty much put the game away.

There were then plenty of sad faces the rest of the game.

And Kevin Durant got the kiss from his mom.

Talk about the result with Laker fans, hit up Silver Screen and Roll. To check the result with Thunder fans, go to Welcome To Loud City.

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NBA Playoffs, Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 5 Score: Kobe Bryant Scores 19, But L.A. Trails 54-51

Kobe Bryant scored 19 points but the Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Los Angeles Lakers 54-51 at halftime of Game 5 of their second round NBA playoff series Monday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder lead the best-of-seven series three games to one.

Bryant scored 15 of his 19 in the first quarter and for the half shot 8-of-15, including this acrobatic effort:

Pau Gasol had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who shot 48.7% (19 for 39) in the opening half. Andrew Bynum added seven points and two rebounds for Los Angeles.

The half turned on a flagrant foul and subsequent technical foul called on Metta World Peace in the final minute of the half. His reaction was priceless:

Kevin Durant scored 12 points for the Thunder. Russell Westbrook had eight points and four assists for Oklahoma City, who shot 39.2% (20 for 51) in the first half. James Harden scored 13 points in 15 minutes off the bench for the Thunder.

For more on the Los Angeles Lakers, make your way over to Silver Screen and Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For the Thunder side of the story, check out Welcome to Loud City.

Lakers Vs. Thunder: Serge Ibaka Denies Pau Gasol Inside

2012 NBA Playoffs: Thunder Vs. Lakers Game 5: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Los Angeles Lakers were just minutes from evening up their Western Conference semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night. Instead, they fell apart at the finish line and are now just one loss away from being ushered out of the postseason by a younger, deeper and hungrier team.

The series heads back to Oklahoma City on Monday night and the Lakers will try to keep their playoffs alive for at least one more game. The Thunder, of course, will be trying to close things out in front of their home crowd in order to advance to the Western Conference final.

Monday's Game 5 will tip off at 6:30 p.m. PT and will be televised nationally on TNT.

For more on the Los Angeles Lakers, make your way over to Silver Screen and Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For the Thunder side of the story, check out Welcome to Loud City or visit SB Nation Kansas City.

A Superpower In Twilight: Thoughts On The Lakers' Near-Certain Demise

Following a brutal Game Four collapse, the curtain's about to fall on this version of the Lake Show. Tonight's Game Five could be ugly.

NBA Playoffs 2012, Lakers Vs. Thunder: Fans Stunned By Game 4 Loss

The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night and attempted to even up their Western Conference semifinal series. Despite holding a lead for nearly all of the game, the Lakers once again fell in the last couple of minutes and have fallen behind 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. One more loss will send Los Angeles home until next season.

Dexter Fishmore at Silver Screen and Roll attempts to cope with the defeat:

We all just got the wind knocked out of us. The Lakers led Game Four almost the entire way but ran out of gas and blew another late lead, putting them right at the edge of the abyss. It's not over yet... technically... but... well. You don't need me to say it.

Your boxscore is here. Your analysis will come whenever we can scrape ourselves up off the road and figure out what happened.

The Lakers will attempt to stave off their elimination in Game 5, but you have to believe that this loss is a genuine dagger.

For more on the Los Angeles Lakers, make your way over to Silver Screen and Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For the Thunder side of the story, check out Welcome to Loud City.

Lakers Vs. Thunder, 2012 NBA Playoffs Game 4 Final Score: L.A. Collapses Late, Loses 103-100

The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Saturday night at the Staples Center. The Lakers were looking to even up the best-of-seven series at two games apiece, but despite leading by a significant margin for nearly all of the game, the Lakers took a 103-100 loss and are now one game away from elimination.

The Lakers opened up an early lead and entered halftime on top by a score of 56-46. Heading into the fourth quarter, Los Angeles held an 80-71 lead. The Thunder refused to go quietly, of course, battling back to within four points in the final three minutes of regulation.

The Thunder pulled ahead within the final two minutes, but Kobe Bryant's free throws tied things up again. A Lakers turnover in the final 30 seconds led to a 25-foot three-pointer by Kevin Durant with 13.7 seconds left to give OKC a 101-98 lead.

Bryant missed a three with 7.3 seconds left and the Lakers were forced to foul. James Harden nailed both free throws to go up by five with less than 10 seconds left in the game. The Lakers scuffled on their final possession and could only manage a short Bryant jumper at the buzzer, taking the loss.

Bryant led all scorers with 38 points. Andrew Bynum added 18 points and nine rebounds in the losing effort. Russell Westbrook had 37 points for the Thunder, while Durant had 31 points and 13 rebounds.

For more on the Los Angeles Lakers, make your way over to Silver Screen and Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For the Thunder side of the story, check out Welcome to Loud City.

NBA Playoffs, Lakers Vs. Thunder Game Score: Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum Lead L.A. To 56-46 Halftime Lead

Andrew Bynum had 14 points and seven rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 56-46 halftime lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of their second round NBA playoff series Saturday night at Staples Center. The Lakers trail the best-of-seven series two games to one.

The Lakers led 29-24 after the first quarter with Bynum and Kobe Bryant each scoring 10 points in the quarter, Bynum on 5-of-5 shooting. Bynum made seven of 11 field goals in the first half. Bryant finished with 16 points in the opening 24 minutes.

Pau Gasol added six points and three rebounds in the first half for the Lakers, who shot 48.9% (23 for 47) in the opening half. The Lakers outrebounded Oklahoma City 24-14 in the first half.

One night after making an astonishing 41-of-42 free throws in their Game 3 win over the Thunder, the Lakers made seven of their nine free throws in the first half in Game 4.

Kevin Durant scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Thunder, who shot 46.3% (19 for 41) in the first half. Russell Westbrook had 14 points and four assists, and Serge Ibaka added six points and two blocked shots for Oklahoma City.

To read about the latest in Lakers news, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll. For all of your Thunder related news, head on over to Welcome to Loud City.

NBA Playoffs 2012, Lakers Vs. Thunder: Fans React To Game 3 Win

The Los Angeles Lakers finally managed to pick up a victory in their Western Conference semifinal against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night and now trail 2-1 in the series. The Lakers managed the win in large part due to their spectacular free throw shooting the entire night.

C.A. Clark at Silver Screen and Roll had this to say about the victory:

The Lakers don't win without so many free throws, because OKC made life a living hell for them in the half court set. In that respect, they were most certainly lucky to pull out a victory tonight. But they also played with the determination that shows you they knew their season was on the line, fighting like hell for every last scrap. They will need every ounce of that fight to repeat the feat (winning) tomorrow night and turn this series into something worth watching.

The Lakers will have an opportunity to even the series on Saturday night at Staples Center.

To talk about the big win with Lakers fans, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll. To gloat about the loss to Thunder fans, head on over to Welcome to Loud City.

2012 NBA Playoffs: Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 4: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Los Angeles Lakers finally managed a win in their Western Conference semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, coming from behind and taking advantage of OKC mistakes to cut the Thunder lead in the best-of-seven series to 2-1.

The Lakers still have an uphill climb ahead of them, facing a much younger, much fresher and very dangerous team on back-to-back days as they head into Game 4 on Saturday. The Lakers had been stretched to their limits in their series against the Denver Nuggets and they need to hope that they can win more games to keep their season alive.

Game 4 on Saturday tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on TNT as Los Angeles tries to even up the series.

To talk about the shocking defeat with Lakers fans, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll. To discuss the victory with Thunder fans, head on over to Welcome to Loud City.

Lakers Vs. Thunder, 2012 NBA Playoffs Game 3 Final Score: L.A. Hangs On For 99-96 Win

In the third game of the Western Conference semifinal between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, things once again came right down to the wire. The Lakers were looking to avoid going down 3-0 in the first game of the series at the Staples Center. The Lakers were able to take a late lead and hang on in a 99-96 win. The Thunder now lead the series 2-1.

The Lakers fell behind early and fought hard for the entire game to keep things close, led once again by Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers finally went back ahead with just over a minute left to play as Bryant drew a fortunate foul call off the ball and nailed both free throws to put Los Angeles up 93-92. After the Thunder reclaimed the lead, Bryant drew another foul and again nailed both free throws to give the Lakers a one-point lead. The Thunder missed their shot with under 20 seconds left and fouled Metta World Peace, who sank both free throws to give Los Angeles a 97-94 lead. The Thunder scored a lightning-quick bucket to cut it to one and fouled Bryant again with 9.8 seconds left, who once again knocked in both free throws to finish 18-for-18 from the line. The last Thunder shot would not go and the Lakers picked up the victory.

Bryant had 36 points in the victory, leading all scorers. Kevin Durant had 31 points for the Thunder in the loss.

To talk about the tremendous victory with Lakers fans, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll. To discuss the defeat with Thunder fans, head on over to Welcome to Loud City.

NBA Playoffs, Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 3 Score: Kobe Bryant Leads L.A. To 50-47 Halftime Lead

Kobe Bryant scored 13 points and had two steals to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 50-47 halftime lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of their second round NBA playoff series Friday night at Staples Center. The Thunder lead the best-of-seven series two games to none.

The Lakers led 23-15 after one quarter. Metta World Peace hit a three-pointer in the final second of the half to give the Lakers their lead.

Pau Gasol had six points and six rebounds for the Lakers, who shot 44.4% (16 for 36) in the first half. Andrew Bynum had eight points and four rebounds, while Ramon Sessions added 10 points.

Russell Westbrook had 14 points and five assists for the Thunder, who shot 41.0% (16 for 39) in the opening half. James Harden, who was booed by the Staples Center crowd for apparently putting his head in the way of World Peace's elbow three weeks ago, scored 12 points in 15 minutes off the bench.

To talk about the shocking defeat with Lakers fans, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll. To discuss the victory with Thunder fans, head on over to Welcome to Loud City.

Steve Blake Practicing The Most Controversial Shot Of NBA Playoffs

Lakers' Pau Gasol Wins 2012 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award

The NBA announced Friday that Lakers forward Pau Gasol is the 2011-12 recipient of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. The award is named after the second commissioner of the NBA and presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, and is presented to the player, coach or trainer who shows the most outstanding service and dedication to the community. Gasol becomes the fourth Laker to earn the honor since the award was started in the 1974-75 season, and he joins his teammate Metta World Peace as recipients (World Peace won it in 2010-11). Former Lakers Michael Cooper (1985-86) and Earvin "Magic" Johnson (1991-92) also won the award, and Vlade Divac (1999-00 with Sacramento) and Brian Grant (1998-99 with Portland) are former Lakers who have also been honored with the award while on other teams. Other finalists nominated by the PBWA this year included Josh Smith (Atlanta), Jason Terry (Dallas) and J.J. Redick (Orlando).

Per a press release from the NBA, Gasol was chosen because he has been a tireless worker worldwide on behalf of various UNICEF causes. He has been a UNICEF Ambassador for seven years and traveled the globe working with programs aimed at nutrition and education for children.

A great honor for Gasol, whose Lakers will play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday night, already trailing 2-0 in the seven-game series. Gasol is averaging 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in the first two games of the series and will look to help the Lakers bounce back.

To talk about Gasol and his award, or the upcoming Game 3 with Lakers fans, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll. To discuss the matchup with Thunder fans, head on over to Welcome to Loud City.

NBA Playoffs, Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 3 Preview: Lakers Face Uphill Climb

The Los Angeles Lakers have a tough task on their hands as they return home to host the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday night at Staples Center in Game 3 of their second round NBA playoff series. The Lakers held a seven-point lead with two minutes remaining in Game 2, but gave the game away by surrendering the final nine points and now face a daunting 0-2 hole.

The Lakers have been down 2-0 in a best-of-seven series 19 times in their franchise history, and have lost 17 of those series. The only wins came in the 1969 division semifinals against San Francisco and in the 2004 conference semifinals against San Antonio. The latter series featured the Derek Fisher three-pointer with 0.4 second remaining in Game 5 to stun the Spurs.

It seems the Lakers will need a similar miracle against the Thunder to avoid an uninspiring series loss in the second round for the second year in a row.

Kobe Bryant has scored 20 points in each of the first two games of the series, but he is shooting just 37.2% from the field, including 1-for-9 from three-point range. Andrew Bynum has also scored 20 points in each of the first two games, and is averaging 11.5 rebounds per game.

Pau Gasol has averaged 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game so far in the series. Point guard Ramon Sessions has been completely neutralized, averaging just 2.0 points on 2-of-10 shooting, with just three assists in 51 minutes in the first two games.

Kevin Durant averaged 23.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the first two games, while point guard Russell Westbrook has averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists.

To talk about the shocking defeat with Lakers fans, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll. To discuss the victory with Thunder fans, head on over to Welcome to Loud City.

2012 NBA Playoffs: Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 3: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Los Angeles Lakers need game three. Badly. The Western Conference semifinals comes to Los Angeles after the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Lakers twice in Oklahoma City. Kevin Durant's squad cruised to a 119-90 victory in Monday's game one victory over the Lakers and then on Wednesday overcame a seven point defecit in the game's final two minutes to win game two 77-75. Now in a 2-0 hole, the Lakers need to win four out the five next games to advance to the Western Conference finals.

Location: Los Angeles, CA, Staples Center

Game Time: 7:30 p.m. PT

Television: ESPN

Team playoff stat comparisons:

• FG%: Lakers 40.9%, Thunder 48%
• 3-point %: Lakers 29%, Thunder 38.2%
• Points: Lakers 82.5, Thunder 98
• Rebounds: Lakers 42.0, Thunder 38.5
• Assists: Lakers 12.5, Thunder 17.5

SB Nation Team Sites: Silver Screen and Roll (Lakers) and Welcome to Loud City (Thunder)

Check out the SB Nation Los Angeles storystream below for any further updates on the series.

A.C. Green Watches Lakers Vs. Thunder In His Own Jersey [PHOTO]

Twitter Reacts Poorly To Steve Blake, Wife After Lakers Lose To Thunder

Thunder Vs. Lakers, 2012 NBA Playoffs Game 2: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Win With Late Comeback 77-75

The Los Angeles Lakers seemed like they had shut down the Oklahoma City Thunder, holding them to 20 second half points with just over two minutes left. But James Harden got two layups, Kevin Durant got a huge steal off a pass to Kobe Bryant, and Durant hit a runner down the baseline over Pau Gasol.

The Lakers had a chance to take the lead late when Steve Blake got a wide open look when Russell Westbrook was caught looking, but Blake's shot hit iron and time ran out on the Lakers.

Bryant had 20 points, but need 25 shots to get it. Andrew Bynum had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 14 points and 11 rebounds. Durant had 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Russell Westbrook had 15, and Harden had 13.

Los Angeles is now down 2-0 in the series, with Game 3 Friday night at the Staples Center.

To talk about the shocking defeat with Lakers fans, head on over to Silver Screen and Roll. To discuss the victory with Thunder fans, head on over to Welcome to Loud City.

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2012 NBA Playoffs, Lakers Vs. Thunder, Halftime Score: OKC Hangs On To Slight 48-45 Lead

The Los Angeles Lakers were looking to make a statement in the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night after suffering one of their worst playoff losses in franchise history on Monday. But the tenacity and athleticism of OKC is still causing the Lake Show problems, who find themselves down to the Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena once again by the score of 48-45 at the half.

Andrew Bynum leads the way for L.A. after 12 points and five rebounds in the first half, while Kobe Bryant finished with 10 points on 4-11 shooting including three steals and three assists. Pau Gasol had eight and four boards.

Russell Westbrook is getting it done for OKC, dropping 12 first half points of his own along with four boards and three dimes. Kevin Durant is a perfect 4-4 from the floor, scoring 10 first half points.

As for the Metta World Peace/ James Harden beef, they had a friendly exchange during the first half. Not exactly a handshake though:

via assets.sbnation.com

The Lake Show held tough in the first half, now the question will be can they keep up in the second half.

For more on the Los Angeles Lakers, make your way over to Silver Screen and Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For the Thunder side of the story, check out Welcome to Loud City.

ANIMATED: Welcome To Serge Ibaka's Block Party

NBA Playoffs 2012, Thunder Vs. Lakers: Gloomy Reactions To Oklahoma City Beatdown

The Oklahoma City Thunder whipped the Los Angeles Lakers. It wasn't really all that close. And when you break the game down, it's really hard to feel positive if you're a Laker fan. It was total dominance in every aspect, and you really have to be impressed with the performance of the Thunder, who showed no rust in outplaying the Lakers in every facet of the game.

Russell Westbrook was virtually unstoppable, and Kevin Durant provided the second punch when Westbrook deferred. James Harden provided the third scoring punch, and Thabo Sefolosha gave Kobe Bryant a very tough time on the perimeter.

Dexter Fishmore of Silver Screen and Roll was not terribly upbeat about the result, and had a pretty dour outlook concerning the remainder of the series. He especially harped on the inability for the Lakers to force turnovers on one of the most sloppy ball-handling teams in the league.

As a team the Thunder committed only four turnovers the entire game. All season long I've been bitching about how the Lakers never force turnovers, and there's really not much more to say about it at this point. They don't have enough disruptive defenders to take opponents out of their sets and generate easy looks in transition. Kobe and Metta World Peace can get their hands on the ball occasionally but no one else ever does. To get away with that your team has to be impeccable in its positional defense, making every shot difficult, and as we saw in their farcical attempts to stay in front of James Harden and various other Thunders, that's not really what Steve Blake and Ramon Sessions do. OKC won't always be as sharp as they were in Game One, but the Lakers are ill-suited to exploit the Thunder's tendency to get loose with the ball.

Darius Soriano of Forum Blue and Gold had similar thoughts in his post-game recap, and primarily expressed concern with how easily Russell Westbrook had his way with the Lakers.

Westbrook found open space coming off screens, got into a groove on his mid-range jumper, and punished the Lakers with shots that you may want him taking but when he gets hot he’s more than capable of burying. Bynum and the other Lakers’ bigs played below the screen or allowed Russ to split the double off the pick and that set him free to take shots in a flow.

Lakers Vs. Thunder Highlights: Metta World Peace Booed, Devin Ebanks Ejected, Durant And Westbrook Dominate

NBA Playoffs, Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 1 Final Score: Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant Lead Blowout, 119-90

The aged, older Los Angeles Lakers, however, were thrashed 119-90 by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night in the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals.

2012 NBA Playoffs, Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 1 Score: Russell Westbrook Leads Oklahoma City To 59-44 Lead

Metta World Peace had 10 points, and two assists in the first half, but the Los Angeles Lakers trail the Oklahoma City Thunder 59-44 at halftime of Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers are facing their biggest test of these playoffs, and World Peace will have to step up for Los Angeles to have a chance of even surviving in this series.

NBA Playoffs, Lakers Vs. Thunder Game 1: Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum Key To Series

With the shot clock winding down in Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant launched a contested three-pointer in the final minute that sealed the deal in sudden death. If there's no off night and everyone shows up on the red carpet to later perform under the lights at Staples Center, then all it takes to win a crucial game is contributions from a trusty supporting cast and Bryant's clutch shots in the closing moments to paint the finishing touches. A couple of weeks into the postseason, and the Lakers are erratic and up and down, making life much harder on themselves. It's not pretty if you're a die-hard Lakers fan, holding your breath every time the Lakers tip off for a game of scares and dismay.

For once, though, Bryant had no choice but to trust in his teammates, when he was double-teamed much of the night. Therefore, it left players open for scoring opportunities, and sure enough, they came through, came to Bryant's aid. The captain, especially when much was at stake in a must-win situation, chose unselfishly not to shoot the ball and facilitated while he was trapped along the baseline, involving the rest of the players. He walked off the court, his final meeting with the Denver Nuggets and wore a slight smile that revealed a sigh of relief, after an exasperating 96-87 victory over the Nuggets in Game 7 finally came to an end. At first glance, the Lakers are an indeterminable riddle in all of sports, the one team that considers the season a waste if they fall short of capturing an NBA championship. The series shouldn't have lasted this long, and because it enabled the Nuggets to force a seventh game, fans locally were trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with the Lakers?

It was the most exaggerated question asked throughout such a frustrating, somewhat embarrassing series after the Lakers were demoralized in Game 6, refusing to fight and stop the bleeding in a round punctuated by a disastrous beatdown and Hollywood drama that issued forth from the selfishness and softness of two seven-footers. What's horrendous about this Lakers team is that no one ever knows which personality will ever show up, no one ever knows if the Lakers will deliver or sadly disappoint, as fans become ireful and boos rain down onto the court. It was a night, a crazy night for fans donning purple and gold attire, a night that outraged fans could have asked for a refund, and then return the next day protesting outside of Staples Center with paper bags over their heads. There was pressure on both Bynum and Gasol, but there was even more on Bynum, a second-scoring option for the Lakers.

The trip to Denver was perfectly enjoyable, but after the embarrassing loss on the road, it wasn't so pleasant on the flight back to Los Angeles. Caught in a web of criticisms here in LA, from the local media to typical bashers, they weren't looking to have two consecutive games with poor efforts entirely and exercised their size, toughness and guts to avoid further humiliation. It was a wake up call, encouragement when both Gasol and Bynum, for once, weren't lost on the court and had taken control to give the Lakers a chance, pulling it off and soaring back into contention. When the buzzer sounded, Gasol finished with a team-high 23 points, adding 17 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks, putting his size advantage to use. Unlike the prior two games, it was a tall order for him to rebound, as well as for Bynum, who both had redemptive performances and were amazingly inspired after missing in action. It's the time of year when legends are born. And that, people, can very well be numerous players from the Lakers.

The good news is that Gasol and Bynum are not confused or dazed, wandering off to Disneyland or Lala Land. The bad news is that the Lakers, as a whole, have much work in order to beat Oklahoma City Thunder, Lakers' next opponent in the second round of the NBA playoffs, where a deeper and younger team will compete at the highest level to end a championship run for a core of older players. It wasn't the Lakers best game. It wasn't the greatest win. It wasn't the prettiest. For keeping track of statistics, however, Bynum had 16 points, a career playoff-high 18 rebounds and six blocked shots. It was days after he opened his mouth and made comments before Game 5, and said "close-out games are actually kind of easy." By keeping his mouth zipped, he was more focused and invigorated to see just how easy close-out games could be, allowing the game to speak for itself and not speaking for it.

Much has been made of an opinion from Magic Johnson that sparked a controversy when he said Lakers head coach Mike Brown, who has two years guaranteed left on his contract, would be fired had his team not won Game 7, a contest where he wasn't outcoached by George Karl. However, the fact of the matter is he's already under much turbulence for his bizarre philosophy to coaching. It's necessarily right to admittedly recognize, despite the lack of chemistry and oddly the way he coaches, that Brown has installed a new system with a defensive mental attitude. But moving forward, the Lakers will need the bigs, particularly with Oklahoma City.

The rest of the league might not want to play the Lakers, with Bynum and Gasol delivering and having big games. If he is not apathetic or selfish and has heart, then he might be one of the most high-octane, lanky players down low. If Bynum is not immature and has consistency to pose a threat inside that could stop players from driving the lane, then the Lakers might last a long time in these playoffs. There's no one to blame now, as the Lakers have survived a laborious, tiresome, maddening best-of-seven series. The problem for the Lakers is the lack of depth from their bench and even in the starting lineup, only if Gasol and Bynum have their off-nights -- oddly enough -- to reduce the team's chances of winning.

Without those two big men, alongside Bryant, the Lakers won't move on to the Western Conference Finals. It's notably right in front of our eyes that Oklahoma City has the most dangerous team in these playoffs, in which the Lakers can't afford any costly mistakes, like turnovers and inability to rebound the ball, giving opponents second-chance points. The star power is there for the Lakers, but can everyone stay consistent and live up to their role? And, seriously, Metta World Peace, who returned after serving a six-game suspension for viciously elbowing Oklahoma City guard James Harden in the regular season, scored 15 points and had four steals, containing the 6-foot-10 Danilo Gallinari and Andre Miller, as well, blocking Miller's shot late in the final quarter.

The man, who also had extended the Lakers' lead late, when a 16-point lead disappeared quickly, was Steve Blake. It was a three-pointer he hit to give the Lakers a five-point lead, and he scored a playoff career-high 19 points. It wasn't surprising to see Kobe finish with a quiet 17 points on 17-for-16 shooting, while he still was overcoming the stomach flu and had been double teamed by the Nuggets to leave the Lakers with open shooters. Though the Lakers blew a large lead in the second half, maintaining it by controlling the tempo and physicality, Gasol was playing with emotion and confidence.

Midway in the fourth quarter, he tipped the ball into the basket aggressively to outdo JaVale McGee. And while Ty Lawson and Al Harrington had 24 points apiece, it wasn't good enough to hinder the Lakers from taking it over in the closing minutes. Having said that, the Lakers improved to 15-1 in a Game 7 at home, and never lost one at Staples Center, winning 11 consecutive since the 1969 NBA Finals.

It doesn't matter. What matters to the Lakers is winning a championship, if nothing else. The focus is now on the Thunder. It will be an uphill battle, a steep task for a team in need of help if Bynum and Gasol can't deliver all the time.

For more news and notes regarding Lakers basketball, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.

Lakers Vs. Thunder, NBA Playoffs Series Preview: Stormy Weather Ahead

All signs point to a decisive Thunder victory. Can the Lakers thrive in their underdog role?

2012 NBA Playoffs: Thunder Vs. Lakers Game 1: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Los Angeles Lakers had to deal with a long, drawn-out, seven game series in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. They couldn't close out the Denver Nuggets in Game 5, got blown out in Game 6, before managing to hold on and survive Game 7.

The return of Metta World Peace from his suspension made a huge difference in the outcome of Game 7. But World Peace will probably have to deal with one hostile crowd in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals when he faces the man he viciously elbowed to get suspended in the first place in James Harden. The Oklahoma City Thunder had a relatively painless four-game sweep of the defending champions, and they are in a real good position to try and take advantage of the deeply fatigued Lakers.

Here is the time and TV info for Monday's game.

Game Time: 6:30 PM PDT, 9:30 PM EDT

Television: TNT

SB Nation Team Sites: Silver Screen and Roll (Lakers), and Welcome To Loud City (Thunder)

Check out the SB Nation Los Angeles storystream below for any further updates on the series.

Lakers Vs. Thunder, NBA Playoffs: Round 2 Series Schedule & TV Info

It wasn't easy, but the Los Angeles Lakers found a way to advance in the NBA playoffs. The Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets Saturday night in Game 7 of their first round series at Staples Center, but there is no rest for the weary. The Lakers now advance to play the No. 2 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round.

Thanks to the truncated schedule brought on by the NBA lockout, there was a possibility of back-to-back games in the playoffs. That is the case in this series, as the Lakers and Thunder play Friday and Saturday in Game 3 and Game 4, respectively, in Los Angeles. Here is the full schedule for the second round series (all times PDT):

• Game 1: Monday, May 14 at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m. (TNT)
  
• Game 2: Wednesday, May 16 at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m. (TNT)
• Game 3: Friday, May 18 at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
• Game 4: Saturday, May 19 at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
• Game 5*: Monday, May 21 at Oklahoma City, TBD (TNT)
• Game 6*: Wednesday, May 23 at Los Angeles, TBD (ESPN)
• Game 7*: Sunday, May 27 at Oklahoma City, TBD (TNT)

*if necessary

For more news and notes regarding Lakers basketball, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.