OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 22 points, Russell Westbrook added 18 points and eight assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder evened its first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers with a 110-89 victory in Game 4 on Saturday night.
For the second straight game, the Thunder capitalized on a significant edge at the foul line and on the boards despite the presence of the Lakers’ 7-foot tandem of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.
Oklahoma City never trailed after the opening 5 minutes and led by double digits for the final three quarters in a thorough dismantling of the defending NBA champions.
Bynum had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Gasol also scored 13 to lead Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant finished with only 12 points.
Game 5 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
After Durant clamped down on Bryant in the fourth quarter of the Thunder’s 101-96 win in Game 3, the matchup between the NBA’s youngest scoring champion and the 2008 MVP never materialized this time around.
Instead, both superstars were on the bench for the entire fourth quarter while lineups of mostly reserves toiled away with little more than the final margin at stake.
It was the Lakers’ largest playoff loss since Boston’s clinching 131-92 victory in Game 6 of the 2008 Finals. Oklahoma City held a 50-43 rebounding edge and shot 20 more free throws.
