OKLAHOMA CITY For all that happened Tuesday night, nothing really happened.
The Lakers never led.
They never showed the hunger or cohesiveness that the defending Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder did.
And so the Lakers lost, 122-105, to fall back under the .500 mark in the latest example that they are not back to their preseason status as legitimate title contenders.
Mike D'Antoni's defense tied the NBA record for fewest turnovers forced, and Dwight Howard aggravated the torn labrum in his right shoulder and expressed frustration at not getting any field-goal attempts in the second half.
Asked if that bothered him, Howard said: "Yeah." Then he added after a pause: "But we've got to play through it." Howard shot 1 for 7 from the field in the first half.
The Lakers' injury burden grew heavier with Metta World Peace spraining his right ankle in the final minutes and hobbling off the court, but he said he would play Wednesday in New Orleans.
World Peace was the one who ran into Howard's arm early in the game, leaving Howard to say after the game: "Different kind of hit, but it's in a lot of pain."
Kobe Bryant played through an ulnar nerve contusion to his right elbow from the opening minutes, limiting some use of his right arm.
But neither Bryant's 30 points nor Howard's 16 rebounds was enough compared to Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook had 37 points, 10 rebounds and five assists ... and one turnover.
The turnover came with 5:06 to play and was the last one for Oklahoma City, which had just two tying the fewest in an NBA game.
The fewest by a Lakers opponent all time was three, set by Phoenix against Mike Brown's Lakers last season. The fewest in the NBA this season by four by Philadelphia against Detroit on Nov. 14.
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