Game 1 of the Oklahoma City Thunder-Los Angeles Lakers playoff series is in the books and the Thunder made a pretty loud statement with their 119-90 win.
While there are many subplots to this series, the one that has garnered significant attention is the match-p between Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. ESPN Stats & Information noted that this is the fifth time that the No. 1 and No. 2 regular-season scorers are facing off in the playoffs. This battle may not have the sexiness of a Magic vs. Bird matchup, but it’s still worth watching.
Here’s a look at some stats you might not know about ever since Kobe and Durant started facing off against each other when Durant entered the league in 2007 (includes last night’s game).
1. Bryant and Durant have played against each other 23 times since the start of the 2007 season. The Lakers have won 16 of those games though the Thunder have won four of the last five. They have faced off in the playoffs seven times (going back to when the Thunder were in Seattle) with the Lakers holding a 4-3 edge.
2. In the 23 games that Bryant and Durant have faced each other, both players have outscored each other 11 times and have scored the same number of points in one game. However, Durant has outscored Kobe in 10 of the last 14 games.
3. Both Bryant and Durant average just under 21 shots per game when their respective teams play against each other. Bryant averages 20.9 shots per game, Durant averages 20.5 shots per game.
4. Each player’s points per game (ppg) in home games, away games, wins and losses in the 23 times they’ve faced each other:
* Bryant: Home, 27.1 ppg; Away, 24.6 ppg; Wins, 26.0 ppg; Losses, 25.3 ppg.
* Durant: Home, 25.0 ppg; Away, 25.3 ppg; Wins, 26.7 ppg; Losses, 24.4 ppg.
5. Bryant averages 27.0 ppg in regular-season games against the Thunder. His playoff average v...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
