LOS ANGELES (AFP) –
Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers drives on Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter in Game Seven of the Western Conference Quarterfinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs, May 12, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers beat Denver 96-87 to edge their first round series 4-3
The Los Angeles Lakers beat Denver 96-87 to edge their first round series 4-3 and reach the Western Conference semi-finals where they will face Oklahoma City Thunder.
Pau Gasol finished with 23 points and 17 rebounds while Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 18 rebounds. Steve Blake scored 19 points and Kobe Bryant had a modest 17 points and eight assists for the Lakers.
Third-seeded Los Angeles also got 15 points from Metta World Peace in his return from a seven-game suspension.
The Lakers advance to play the second-seeded Thunder, who have had more than a week of rest after they swept the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in four games. Game one of the second round series is on Monday.
Al Harrington and Ty Lawson each scored 24 points for Denver, who fell just one victory shy of their first-ever postseason series win over the Lakers.
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