Picture Gallery (LAT)

May 12 - Staples Center, Los Angeles. Pau Gasol was Pau Gasol again and led the Lakers to a big win 96-87 in game 7 against the Nuggets.

Gasol, who once changed the Lakers fate when he was traded from the Grizzlies, had a horrible game 6 where he scored just 3 points but bounced back with an aggressiveness that showed the way for the team. He finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks. After receiving a lot of well deserved criticism for his attitude in game 6, Andrew Bynum had 16 points and a career playoff-high 18 rebounds. He grabbed 9 offensive boards to combine to Pau's 11.

From the beginning the Lakers stayed focused, not allowing the Nuggets to run and with the return from suspension of Metta World Peace they played very physical defense. World Peace not only shut down Danilo Gallinari who had 3 points, he also provided a much needed perimeter scoring connecting 4 three-pointers. And he wasn't the only one making threes. Kobe Bryant was doubled every time he touched the ball so he became a playmaker and Steve Blake took advantage of it by making 5 three-point shots, getting 19 points and helping to spread the floor.

The Lakers won the first half 48-42 and led by 16, 62-46, midway through the third quarter but Ty Lawson scored 13 points in the period and the Nuggets recovered fast to take the lead 73-69 with 10:44 left in the fourth. At the end the Lakers finished the series the way they were supposed to easily win it from the begging, taking advantage of the size and talent of their big men and making some three-pointers to spread the Nuggets defense. In that final period all the Lakers scoring was provided by Gasol who scored 8 points (and had 7 offensive rebounds, 4 in the same play), Bynum who added 7 points, and 4 three-pointers by Blake (2), World Peace and Bryant.

Ty Lawson and Al Harrington scored 24 points apiece for the Nuggets.

The Lakers with face Kevin Durant. Russell Westbrook and their Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference First Round.