OKLAHOMA CITY -- When the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City last met,Metta World Peace delivered an elbow that sent the Thunder's James Hardenhome with a concussion.

It's the Lakers who are smarting after the playoff rematch.

Russell Westbrook had 27 points and nine assists, Kevin Durant added 25 points and the Thunder blasted the weary Lakers 119-90 on Monday night in the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals.

The Thunder took a 15-point halftime lead, opened the third quarter with a 15-2 blitz filled with crowd-pleasing 3-pointers and dunks and never looked back.

"From then on, it was cruising for us," Westbrook said. "When our team plays like that throughout the game, we put ourselves in a good opportunity to win."

LOS ANGELES -- Pau Gasol was consumed by determination, holding offKenneth Faried with one arm and relentlessly tipping the ball at the hoop with the other in the fourth quarter of Game 7. One, two, three, four -- five! -- offensive rebounds later, the ball finally surrendered and dropped through the hoop.

A few minutes later, the truth was as undeniable as that 7-foot Spaniard. Although the Nuggets drove them to the brink of playoff collapse, the Los Angeles Lakers still have the tenacity to win on the biggest nights of the postseason.

Even when Kobe Bryant doesn't lead them.

Gasol had 23 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots,Metta World Peace scored 15 points in his return from a seven-game suspension, and the Lakers outlasted Denver for a thrilling 96-87 victory Saturday night to win their first-round series.