Durant leads Thunder over Lakers 118-78

Unfortunately for those who dished out the big bucks for a seat, Bryant was a last-minute scratch from the starting lineup due to a sore shoulder.

“I think with that, it’s a chicken or the egg argument”, said Mark Medina, Lakers beat writer for the Los Angeles Daily News. After the game, Scott called out his team for playing “scared”.

Then again, Randle hit a three-pointer from 28 feet as the shot clock wound down in the second quarter Thursday night. Instead, Bryant is still being treated as the star of the team, somewhat hindering the development of Los Angeles’ younger stars such as Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell.

“There weren’t as many periods that we’ve had in the past of letdown, loss of intensity, loss of focus”, interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. The Lakers’ three-point shooting was high in volume but low in effectiveness, making just eight of their 28 attempts.

Durant scored 14 first-quarter points to help the Thunder lead 35-15 at the quarter’s end.

“I would love nothing more than to be in an worldwide environment and be around some of the other great athletes one more time”, Bryant told ESPN Radio. “They didn’t play well at all and really just got embarrassed by the way we played tonight”.

Fans even got a chance to see the old Dwight Howard who had a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. He began the game draining his jumpers and driving to the hoop for layups. Bryant traveled from Denver to Los Angeles on Sunday to see family, according to multiple sources. Carrying the Lakers when they were down was something he could easily do in his youth, but he is not going to be able to do that consistently any more, which is likely one of the reasons he has announced that he will be retiring. Meanwhile, the Lakers threw five passes out of bounds, and the Thunder led 67-41 at halftime.

But Durant became less talkative surrounding his dinner with Bryant on Friday night in Oklahoma City. For a guy to finish the way he wants to finish, more than half his life as an National Basketball Association player, that’s an accomplishment in itself. Durant appeared eager to score anytime he touched the ball. But at the same time, he recognizes that he is old now, and there is only so much he can do.

“They are pretty much a good team”, Los Angeles swingman Nick Young said. But when the shots are not falling and the Rockets keep on shooting the three it can be a little maddening. “We have to find a way to put it together”.

He and coach Byron Scott agreed some pain in the shoulder may have been unavoidable.

Even though Howard refused to stay on Bryant’s team 2 1/2 years ago, the center still felt some sentimentality for the superstar in his farewell season. I want you to know now. Despite being held 11 rebounds below their season average (47.6) Thursday in a loss to Cleveland, Oklahoma City is still No. 1 in the league in rebound differential with a 7.4 margin. He says he knows who he is as a man and that he also knows what he’s trying to do for the city. “We need to do a better job there”.