The main subplot leading into the Lakers-Thunder second-round playoff series turned out to be something of a non-issue Monday night.
Metta World Peace, coming into Oklahoma City as a public enemy, was indeed booed lustily when he was introduced with the Lakers starters before the game. But World Peace didn't seem bothered by that or any ramifications from his April 22 elbow to the head of Thunder guard James Harden.
World Peace had two three-pointers in the opening minutes for the Lakers and added two first-quarter assists. But World Peace couldn't stop Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, who finished with 25 points to World Peace's 12.
The 119-90 game was not very competitive after the first quarter, so there was hardly any animosity even when World Peace drew a foul for pulling Harden down in the second half.
Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said there was no mention of World Peace's elbow or his suspension in the Thunder's planning for the Lakers, who will try to win Game 2 Wednesday night.
"We were not concerned with the suspension at all," Brooks said. "We were focused on our team."
NOTES, QUOTES
Ebanks ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct
--Lakers forward Devin Ebanks garnered some recognition late in the regular season by playing well against Kevin Durant in a Lakers victory the day Metta World Peace got ejected for elbowing James Harden. But Ebanks got noticed in a different way Monday night, being ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct in an incident involving Oklahoma City's Royal Ivey.
--The Lakers' pick-and-roll defense was the primary culprit for Oklahoma City shooting 53 percent from the field in its Game 1 victory Monday night. Lakers coach Mike Brown said there were breakdowns in the way the Lakers tried to stop both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant pick-and-roll plays.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I thought we did OK. We played Denver at home also, and they blew us out also. So we keep focusing." -- Lakers forward Metta World Peace, on the 29-point loss in Game 1 in Oklahoma City
ROSTER REPORT
PLAYER NOTES:
--G Ramon Sessions, who had never played in the playoffs before, showed some jitters at the start of Game 1 of the second round. Sessions telegraphed the first pass of the game toward Kobe Bryant, and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook easily moved over to steal it and set up Thabo Sefolosha's score to give the Thunder the first strike. Sessions shot 1-for-7 from the field in the loss.
--G Kobe Bryant has defended Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook in the past, including in the 2010 first-round series won by the Lakers, but Bryant started Game 1 of this second-round series defending him. It didn't stop Westbrook from scoring 17 first-half points on 6-of-11 shooting with six assists. Westbrook finished with 27 points and nine assists.
--G Steve Blake's 19-point breakthrough in Game 7 against Denver did not carry over at all to Game 1 against Oklahoma City. Blake played 19 scoreless minutes Monday night, taking only one shot -- a missed three-pointer. He also struggled when asked to defend Russell Westbrook.
