It's been one wild series, what with the Lakers taking the first two games before Oklahoma City responded with two home victories. Aside from all the story lines regarding Kobe Bryant's health and shooting, Oklahoma City's athleticism, the offensive disappearing acts from Ron Artest and Lamar Odom and the dominance of OKC guard Russell Westbrook, the current 2-2 series stands at a crossroads.

Are both teams simply taking care of their home court, showing that the Lakers will eventually prevail in this first-round series? Or is the Thunder's uptick in play a sign that it now has the Lakers' number? Plenty of questions will be answered tonight when the Lakers host Game 5 at Staples Center. But that's way too long from now (OK, only a few hours, but still). In the meantime, the Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry provided some answers on what to expect in Game 5, as well as in the rest of the series.

Among the highlights:

-- Mayberry's 10 reasons why the Thunder is currently in charge of the series

-- How the Thunder is approaching Game 5

-- The likelihood OKC pulls off a first-round upset against the Lakers. (Spoiler alert: Lakers fans will like the answer).

-- You can follow more of Mayberry's work at the Oklahoman website as well as on his Twitter account.

Follow the L.A. Times Lakers blog on Twitter. E-mail the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com

-- Mark Medina

We bring you the second edition of Lakers roundtable, where The Times' Mike Bresnahan, Broderick Turner and I discuss the Lakers' latest struggles, the team meeting, the tightening Western Conference race and why my knockout championship at a basketball camp in sixth grade parallels the Lakers' current situation. Brez, BT and I bring you this coverage, despite numerous obstacles, including custodians closing up the Staples Center media work room, obstructive objects thrown by colleagues and eating nearly expired potato chips with dip.

--Mark Medina

Follow the L.A. Times Lakers blog on Twitter. E-mail the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com

Photo Credits: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times, Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times, Melissa Moseley/Columbia Pictures, John Raoux/Associated Press, Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel, Sam Sharpe/US Presswire, Nell Redmond/Associated Press, Davis Turner/EPA, Lori Shepler/Associated Press, Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times, Ronald Martinez/Getty Images, Hector Gabino/McClatchy-Tribune, Rhona Wise/EPA, Michael Dwyer/Associated Press, Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times, Matthew Emmons/US Presswire, John F. Rhodes/Dallas Morning News, Steve C Wilson/Associated Press, Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Lots of sound to go with the commentary in this week's installment of the 710 ESPN.com Lakers PodKast, broken up into two halves equally convenient for those looking to pre-burn some holiday calories on the treadmill and those adding them by sitting around eating those killer brownies your wife made with pieces of Oreo cookie in them.

Hypothetically speaking, of course.

Part I: We talk defense, specifically the type of D that has made the Lakers arguably the league's best defensive team. Plus, a conversation about Andrew Bynum's rebounding, and how it relates to the rest of his development. All that, plus our conversation Friday afternoon with former Lakers player/coach Kurt Rambis, now the head honcho in Minnesota. Click here for just the interview.

Part II: We pass on a very interesting interview Andy conducted with Jordan Farmar in El Segundo this week, and talk about Lamar Odom's philosophy of basketball and how it impacts his play. That, plus talk of 90210, Little House on the Prairie, Smurfs, and how exactly Tracy McGrady managed to open so high among Western Conference guards in All Star voting.

Enjoy!

BK

Plenty to cover this week...

Part I:  You can't crown them in the first week of December, but with Pau Gasol back on the floor, it's fair to go Modified Dennis Green when describing the Lakers, 14-3 and winners of seven straight: They are who we thought they'd be, that being a really freakin' good team. Gasol's presence has been huge, but we note another reason the Lakers are humming- the tightening of the guard rotation from five to four, and the corresponding improvement in the play of Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown. Finally, it's on to Ron Artest. We parse his comments to Sporting News, and play some audio from fresh interview with ESPN 1000 in Chicago. There's no question Artest loves the spotlight playing in LA provides, but is there a point where it becomes too much? We discuss.

Part II: Lakers play-by-play man Spero Dedes joins us for an extended conversation. He talks about the strengths of the team, the difficulties that come with broadcasting during a string of blowouts, what goes into a championship call like the one he delivered in Orlando last June, and more, including some Artest talk, and appreciation of Gasol's skill, and his take on a nickname for Brown. Plus a quick sweep around the NBA to cap things off. (Any resemblance to PTI is totally coincidental. For just the Spero interview, click here.)

(More Lakers/Artest news below the jump...)

You can feast on both parts and still have puh-lenty of room for tomorrow's turkey!  Doesn't get any better than that!

Part I: As Thanksgiving looms, BK and I count our Laker-centric blessings: That Pau Gasol is back, looking good, and creating a positive ripple effect throughout the roster. That Kobe Bryant is still getting it done to the point where he's a legit "Lakers G.O.A.T." candidate with 5-7 years worth of chapters theoretically left to write. And that our employment means watching considerably more purple and gold than red, white and blue. From a totally neutral standpoint, as guest Geoff LaTullipe recently shared in a very funny article, the Laker experience is way better, unless you're just a glutton for underdog punishment. 

Part II: An extended sit down with director Spike Lee, in L.A. to promote Tuesday's DVD release of "Kobe: Doin' Work."  The first Oscar nominated guest in our poddy's history, so that's pretty exciting.  Lee gave us a boatload of time (nearly forty minutes), allowing us to cover a wide range of subjects:

Kobe, whose game is clearly admired by Lee, but his game intelligence perhaps even more.  The New York Knicks, past and, gulp, present.  Hip hop's presence in the NBA.  "He Got Game," and why Lee decided to cast Ray Allen as the lead.  "Do The Right Thing," now twenty years old and still relevant.  Discussing that film was a particular treat for me, as it allowed the opportunity to ask a continually burning question I've had about the riot scene.  Whether you're a fan of Lee's filmography or not, we're confident you'll find it an interesting conversation.

Oddly enough, we also discussed Allen Iverson, who Lee was disappointed went unsigned by the Knicks. BK and I disagreed, but we all concurred that if a brief stay in Memphis was indeed Iverson's last stop, it's an awful way for a storied career to end. Lee remained confident AI will play again, but that was before his retirement announcement.

(Also, for those who didn't hear/see either on the first go round, here's yesterday's Lunch with a Legend interview with Lee. GREAT story about the origin of the Reggie Miller-Spike feud.)

AK

Photo: Spike Lee.  Credit: Fred Prouser / Reuters

We're getting ever... so... close to the start of the regular season, but for those needing a way to kill the hours between now and the 27th, I recommend this week's 710 ESPN.com Lakers PodKast.  Play it about 300 times, and boom! you're basically at opening night. Easy peasy.

This week, there's all sorts of auditory nutrition for your consumption.

• Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus, co-author of the Pro Basketball Prospectus 2009-10, a very thorough, extremely handy guide to the upcoming season well worth the $9.95 download price, joins us to talk about the Lakers. We touch on Ron Artest, Kobe's "decline," the growth of Pau Gasol, and more. They've run the numbers, and- this is going to shock you- the Lakers are really good. For that segment, click here. 
• We talk of Jordan Farmar's likely non-extension, the likely non-extension everyone seems to agree on. 
• Last week, we completed a Western Conference Crapapalooza, a whirlwind tour of what Andy called the algae eaters of our side of the basketball universe. This week, we rise, if not to the cream, at least to fish more towards the middle of the aquarium.
• There's a vigorous, vibrant mailbag (on Kobe's place in history and Phil Jackson's coaching style), followed by an examination of the lunacy taking place up north with Stephen Jackson and the Golden State Warriors. Jax is back on the floor, back but not happy and having voluntarily given up his captaincy. Call it another ring for the on-court and front office circus that's plagued GSW fans for the last few seasons (for more on the Warriors, click here). Since there's no drama down state, we had to look north for a little wierdosity.

BK

AK may be traipsing about on his honeymoon, but that doesn't mean there's no ear candy this week. It takes more than that to stop the 710 ESPN.com Lakers PodKast, that's for sure. Locusts? Car trouble? A Little House marathon on the Hallmark Channel? Those could do the trick, but not AK leaving town. A few of the highlights as I fly (semi) solo:

• Via Eric Pincus at Hoopsworld, Jordan Farmar will change his uniform number from 5 to 1, the same number he wore at Taft High in LA. But is it a good idea for a Lakers PG coming off a bad season to don the same digit as William Henry Parker?
• Allen Iverson says God has delivered him to Memphis. Is that a punishment for AI, the Grizzlies, or the fine citizens of southwestern Tennessee? Can it be all three?
• Fried butter.
• Could the NBA lockout their refs? What does that do for conspiracy theorists?
• All that, plus a brief discussion of Pau Gasol and a conversation about old school Lakers teams with Kurt Helin of Forum Blue and Gold.

BK

It's fresh 710 ESPN.com Lakers Podkast time.  This week, we talk to Lakers radio play by play voice Spero Dedes about the process of stepping into Chick Hearn's monumentally legendary wake, the challenges of broadcasting basketball, and his thoughts on the Lakers and home court.  Dedes is pretty critical in discussing some bad losses over the course of the year that he thinks will cost LA home court advantage in the Finals.   

It's refreshing to hear a home town broadcaster speak openly about the team, even if it's not all roses and perfume.  In the spirit of Hearn, Dedes isn't a homer.  Whether you like his overall delivery or not, it's an approach that benefits listeners.  (If you want to hear an excerpt from the interview and skip the rest, click here.)

We also cover the "rivalry" between Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar, and wonder exactly how Jerry West reacted when he saw "D. Sterling" on his caller ID.

In other news, we've written about it, and turned it into a catchphrase.  It only seems fair to present the interview itself, at www.EnglishBaby.com. 

Here's this week's poddy for 710 ESPN.com, with guest Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated, author of the feature on Lamar Odom in this week's issue.  We talk LO, "disgruntled players," disgruntled Smush Parker, and (in a nice segue) our own version of March Madness. 

At this point, the concept of creating fun, goofy brackets around Tournament time isn't exactly fresh... but that won't stop us from doing it! Unfortunately, we got on board too late to figure out some really cool categories or a particular theme, so instead, we're going the other way:

16 Lakers/Lakers Blog faves, arbitrarily chosen and seeded, on which you will vote advancement based on criteria completely your own.  The contestants:

• Adam Morrison's facial hair
• LO's fashion
• DJ Mbenga’s martial arts skills
• Kwame Brown’s calves
• Phil’s zen
• Pau from the elbow
• Kobe’s fadeaway
• Trevor’s tattoos
• Von Wafer's rookie card on eBay
• Luke Walton’s "Young and the Restless" appearance
• Fish’s gravitas
• Shannon Brown’s hops
• Sasha’s headband
• Andrew Bynum’s physical therapist
• Dr. Buss’ unnaturally orange hair
• "We want tacos!"

Marinate on the entrants.  Pick a favorite.  Figure out what colors they'd be, then paint your face accordingly.  The first round begins tomorrow!

BK

Today, we double the blogosphere's pleasure. 

First, the newest 710 ESPN podkast, with topics ranging from last night's "against many odds" win over the Houston Rockets and the Trevor Ariza-Luke Walton lineup flip flop.  Plus, a visit from ESPN's John Hollinger, the king of all things stats and numbers.  Our podkast has a PER through the roof!!! 

Plus, we took some time and rapped with 710 ESPN's Dave Dameshek.  We enter at around the 13:50 mark and hit on topics ranging from Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James for MVP, athletes that are annoying and a dissection of the cinematic classic that is "Face/Off." 

AK