Lakers knock out Thunder on Gasol's tip-in

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Pau Gasol tipped in a missed jumper by Kobe Bryant with a half-second left and the Los Angeles Lakers survived a late comeback effort by Oklahoma City and eliminated the Thunder 95-94 in Game 6 of the first-round playoff series on Friday night.

Gasol crashed to the rim at the right block and tipped in Bryant's shot to put the defending NBA champions ahead after they squandered a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Gasol pumped both fists after the basket, and the Lakers moved on when Russell Westbrook missed a desperation 3-pointer at the final buzzer.

Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 26 points on a dreadful 5-for-23 shooting night. Westbrook had 21 points and nine assists.

Bryant scored 32 points and Gasol had nine points and 18 rebounds, scoring his only basket of the second half at the end.

After missing 17 of his first 20 shots, Durant broke through with a 3-pointer from the right wing that ignited a 10-0 comeback by the Thunder. Westbrook followed with a jumper, and his three-point play off a putback of his own miss put Oklahoma City ahead 92-91 with 3:04 to play.

Durant added a driving layup to push the lead to three but Oklahoma City couldn't score again in the final 2<0x00BD> minutes.

Bryant hit an 18-foot jumper from the left side to get Los Angeles within one, and the Lakers delivered the knockout punch on their fifth chance.

Los Angeles advances to face the winner of the Denver-Utah series.

The extended series took its toll on a Los Angeles squad that already was nursing more than its fair share of injuries. Andrew Bynum played the second half with a brace on his right knee after he hyperextended it earlier in the game. Lamar Odom had a brace on his right knee, too. Ron Artest sported a modified T-shirt with padding on his left shoulder that's gotten a workout against Durant, the youngest player to win the NBA scoring title.

Bryant has a sore knee, ankle and index finger. Bynum just got back from a strained Achilles' tendon that cost him the final 13 games of the regular season.

The Lakers may be battered but not beaten.

Bryant almost single-handedly kept Los Angeles out front with 16 points in a dazzling third quarter — until it came to an early end for him when he picked up his fourth foul while guarding Westbrook.