Lakers Start Strong Against Thunder

With eight games now having been played in the 2010 NBA playoffs, fans of sports betting are focused on their picks, and in some cases, desperately re-evaluating their predictions.

The Lakers, for their part, answered a lot of questions on Sunday afternoon, defeating the playoff-novice Oklahoma City Thunder in game one of their best-of-seven series. Game 2 goes down Tuesday at Staples Center. The solid start for the Lakers is a much needed turnaround from their troubles at the end of the regular season.

Many players cited injuries and a road-heavy schedule down the stretch in the regular season, which ultimately led to the Lakers cruising and looking less than impressive down the stretch. Fans of basketball betting agree however, that their performance on Sunday was a step in the right direction.

The return of Kobe Bryant also certainly helped the Lakers. Bryant returned to the starting lineup after sitting out four of the final five regular season games to rest, heal injuries, and prepare for the important post-season. While Bryant looked rough around the edges at times, he led the team with 21 points on 6-for-19 shooting.

Also returning for the Lakers was Andrew Bynum. Bynum had been out of the lineup for 13 games after suffering a strained Achilles tendon. Bynum finished the game with 13 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.

Ron Artest played a phenomenal defensive game against the Thunder’s Kevin Durant, who scored 24 points on 7-for-24 shooting – Durant led the league with an average 30.1 points per game during the regular season. Despite the defense, Artest finished the game with only seven points on 3-for-11 shooting, and expressed disappointment in his performance after the game.

With a solid opener under their belts, the Lakers hope to continue their winning ways on Tuesday at the Staples Center.