There were talks of panic. Of their backs against the wall. That the youth is being served.

However, they must have forgotten that this is the LA Lakers they’re talking about. You know, the 2009 NBA champions? With that guy named Kobe.

After being routed by the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-89 in Game 4 of their first round playoff series and with the series tied at 2-2, the Lakers returned to the Staples Center for Game 5 and decided to hush talks of an upset.

The final score? 111-87, in a game the Lakers never trailed as they held the Thunder to just 36.9% shooting while making 53.8% of their own.

OKC superstar Kevin Durant was held to just 17 points and Russell Westbrook hounded all night by Kobe Bryant to effectively stopped their fastbreaks.

Both the Lakers big men of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum posted double doubles.

Gasol had a game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds while Bynum added 21 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lakers could close out the series and advance to the Semifinal round with a Lakers-Thunder Game 6 win on Saturday, April 30 at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City.

History is at their side since they are 17-0 in a best-of-seven series when they win Game 5 at home.

=======================================================

UPDATE April 30, 2010: Behind a torrid third-quarter shooting from superstar Kobe Bryant, a great Ron Artest defense on Kevin Durant, and a Pau Gasol tip-in with 0.5 second remaining, the Lakers dispatched the Thunder 95-94.

The Lakers has moved on to the Semifinal Round and will be facing Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz.

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Tags: 2010 NBA playoffs, la lakers, oklahoma city thunder