2012 NBA Playoffs

Oklahoma City, OK

After getting torched in the opener, the Lakers had the game won, but crumbled late as Kevin Durant scored the go-ahead basket with 18.6 seconds left and the Oklahoma City Thunder escaped with a 77-75 win over Los Angeles in Game 2 at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Durant ended with 22 points and the Thunder took a 2-0 series lead in this Western Conference semifinal.

Durant scored five of the Thunder's final nine points in the last two minutes as Oklahoma City erased a seven-point deficit.

The Lakers took a three-point advantage, 63-60, into the fourth quarter after outscoring the Thunder 18-12 in the third.

With 2:08 remaining in the game, Andrew Bynum hiked the Lakers' lead to 75-68 following a turnaround before James Harden snapped a nearly four-minute scoring drought with a layup at the other end, sparking the Thunder's pivotal run.

Durant and Harden accounted for all the nine-points on Oklahoma City's game-clinching 9-0 run.

Russell Westbrook had 15 points, while Harden chipped in 13 off the bench for the second-seeded Thunder, who took a commanding 2-0 series lead and preserved home-court advantage.

This series shifts to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4.

Unlike in Game 1 where they trailed by as many as 35 while Oklahoma City shot a high 53 percent overall, the third-seeded Lakers started showing toughness, heart and discipline on the road. Los Angeles showed Wednesday it can hang with the young Thunder team and get physical with them.

The Lakers controlled the tempo and their improved defense disrupted Oklahoma City's offensive rhythm from the start. It translated to a 13 turnover total for the Thunder, who only had four in Game 1.

Kobe Bryant and Bynum scored 20 apiece to lead the Lakers, who were outshot 42 percent to 38.5. Bynum added nine boards, while Pau Gasol finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Los Angeles' outside shooting was again a problem as the Lakers took 13 3-pointers and made only two on the night.

The Lakers are just 2-17 when dropping the first two games of a best-of-seven series.

 

 

Kevin Durant Rallies Thunder Past Lakers for 2-0 Series Lead