Oklahoma Thunder Hand Los Angeles Lakers Fifth Straight Loss

The Los Angeles Lakers have encountered their longest losing streak since the 2006-2007 season at five games. After a hot start in the second half of the season, Sunday's 120-106 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder has the Lakers on the verge of entering the playoffs as the fourth seed in the West.

The victory was the fourth in a row for the Thunder as Kevin Durant scored 31 points. He got help from Russell Westbrook who added 26 points while James Harden, 16, and Serge Ibaka, 15, added up to more than the Lakers could handle.

For his part Kobe Bryant matched Durant with 31 points and Pau Gasol negated Westbrook's efforts with 26 points of his own. Andrew Bynum could not keep pace with the scorers, he had only 12 points, but added 13 rebounds in the effort.

The Lakers had a two point lead going into the fourth quarter when the score was 90-88. But the combination of Westbrook and Durant scoring and LA's lackluster defense allowed the Thunder to pull away and leave the Staples Center with the victory.