NBA Playoffs 2012: 5 Keys for the Los Angeles Lakers to Topple the Thunder

The Los Angeles Lakers can beat the Oklahoma City Thunder.

They won't do it with guile or speed and definitely not with youth.

But they'll do it in a way that is relatively new to the Lakers and harks back to an NBA that was built on toughness and methodical play.

How will they beat team that's as tough, confident and speedy as the Thunder—a team that soundly beat them in their first playoff game?

There are at least five things they must do and do them well.

If you can think of more ways, feel free to add them here.

Pound the Ball Inside

It is all about Andrew Bynum and Pao Gasol.

If they play big, the Lakers can and should win.

The Lakers have to pound the ball into Bynum, and he has to become the powerful, aggressive center he should be.  Based on size alone, he should dominate.

When he shoots, Pao should be there to clean up.

If Bynum is doubled, the guards should get the ball into Pao, easily the best passing forward in the league. 

Get Pao away from the outside and push him down low.  Now is the time for Pao to show his championship experience as both a leader and an offensive power.

If these guys play tough and strong and if the Lakers feed them often, they can win.

Rebound, Rebound, Rebound

With their obvious edge in size, the Lakers should dominate on the boards.

Yes, the Thunder are more active, but under no circumstances should Westbrook out-rebound Gasol, although it happened during the first game.

The Lakers have to crash the boards and block out the Thunder big men.

Offensively, Gasol and Bynum have to go aggressively after lose balls. The Lakers need second and third attempts in order to gain a win.

Similarly, Metta World Peace and the Lakers guards have to keep their men away from the rim.

Run out the Clock

The Lakers have to think of themselves as the old UCLA Bruins under the guidance of John Wooden.  Or, dare we say, they should be like the Boston Celtics of the 80s, slowing up the game to take away Laker Showtime.

They have to run down the clock on every possession, and they have to slow the game down to a crawl: Work the ball down low and shoot with one second left.

In other words, they have to take away the Thunder's thunder.  They have to take away their momentum and desire to run up and down the court.

The Lakers did a fantastic job of holding the Denver Nuggets to only 87 points in the final game of the opening series.

They can do the same with the Thunder.  Turn them into a jump shooting, half-court team and the Lakers will have an edge.

Defense!

Metta World Peace meant the world to the Lakers in Game 7 of the opening series.

His swarming defense was infectious, and it should be again against the Thunder. But that doesn't mean he has to get violent—he just needs to be active, physical and persistent.

Coach Mike Brown preaches defense, and here is his chance to show his stuff.

The Lakers, at times, have shown great defensive patience. Everyone is asking if they can shut down Russell Westbrook and the pick-and-roll.

Ultimately, if they can communicate better on defense, rebound the missed shots and increase the number of Thunder turnovers from four (as in last game) to a dozen or more, the Lakers will frustrate Oklahoma City.

Kobe Bryant: The Consummate Leader

When Kobe Bryant sat on the bench earlier this season, he became a true leader, taking his teammates aside and giving advise and encouragement.

In the last game of the series with the Nuggets, he was dead tired, yet he was able to guide his team to a win—not with a 40-point night but with astute passing and defense.  He only shot the ball seven times in the fourth quarter.

Kobe can lead by example, play his well-known tough defense and not out-shoot Keven Durant but outplay him.

There is no need for Kobe to be a scorer against the Thunder—he must be a leader.  He has the rings and the experience, and he knows how to do the little things that can turn a team into a champion.