Oklahoma City
Thunder

News: Perkins (hip) will be "full go" for Monday's Game 5 matchup against the Lakers, DailyThunder.com reports.
Impact: This according to Thunder coach Scott Brooks. Perkins has played in all four games this series, averaging 3.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 28 minutes per game. He appears limited on the offensive end of the court, but Perkins continues to be a stellar defensive presence for the Thunder.

News: Westbrook (hip) will be "full go" for Monday's Game 5 tilt against the Lakers, DailyThunder.com reports.
Impact: This according to Thunder coach Scott Brooks. Westbrook sustained a hip injury in the first half of Saturday's win over the Lakers, but he was able to return to action and finish with 37 points. Expect another big night from the high-scoring point guard.

News: Westbrook had a team-high 37 points (15-26 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 6-7 FT) to go with two boards, five assists and one steal in 43 minutes Saturday to lead the Thunder to a Game 4 win over the Lakers to take a 3-1 series lead.
Impact: Westbrook slipped in the second quarter and appeared to be in serious pain, but he didn't play like it in the second half and appeared to have plenty of spring in his step. There is little doubt that he will continue to tear it up as the Thunder appear destined for a Western Conference Finals showdown against Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs.

News: Durant had 31 points (10-18 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 8-10 FT), 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 46 minutes Saturday to help the Thunder beat the Lakers in Game 4.
Impact: Durant hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in a tie game, which proved to be the game-winner. He looks like a player on a mission right now and the Thunder look to be a very tough out.

News: Westbrook slipped when trying to plant on the Staples Center floor on the final play of the second quarter Saturday and needed medical attention.
Impact: It's uncertain how serious the injury is yet - the consensus from a handful of writers on Twitter suggested it wasn't serious - but we'll see what happens when he comes out for the second half.

News: Harden made his first appearance in Los Angeles since The Elbow, drawing numerous fouls on his way to 21 points (4-13 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 11-12 FT) in Oklahoma City's loss to the Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Impact: Harden also picked up four rebounds, three steals and one assist in 29 reserve minutes. If not for his five fouls on the night, he likely would have seen a greater run. Nonetheless, look for Harden to emerge in Saturday's Game 4 after hitting less than 40 percent from the floor in each of the first three tilts in this series.

News: Westbrook narrowly missed a double-double Friday, posting 21 points (7-18 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 7-8 FT) and nine rebounds in 35 minutes in Oklahoma City's Game 3 defeat to the Lakers.
Impact: Westbrook also nabbed two steals, but doled out just one assist for his lowest output of the postseason. He has now shot below 40 percent from the field in three of his last four contests, averaging 16 points in the subpar outings. Since that is well below his career-high 23.6 points per game on the season, look for Westbrook and the Thunder to counteract the Lakers' defensive tactics in Saturday's Game 4.

News: Durant kept Oklahoma City in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal with the Lakers, scoring 31 points (12-23 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 6-6 FT) in an eventual Thunder loss.
Impact: Durant also notched five rebounds, two steals, one assist, and one block in 41 minutes of action, though he committed a game-high five turnovers to allow the Lakers an opportunity to tie the series in Saturday's Game 4.

News: Harden finished with 13 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one blocked shot against the Lakers in Game 2 on Wednesday.
Impact: Harden wasn't much of a factor in the game, attempting just eight shots, until the final minutes. He converted two gigantic drives to the hoop to help complete the 77-75 comeback victory for the Thunder.

News: Westbrook had 15 points (5-17 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-6 FT), six boards, four assists, and one steal with zero turnovers in the Thunder's Game 2 victory over the Lakers on Wednesday.
Impact: Both teams played excellent defense, as evidenced by the low score of 77-75, so Westbrook wasn't alone in his offensive struggles. He continues to be a problem on the other end for the Lakers' point guards though. Steve Blake and Ramon Sessions combined for seven points Wednesday.

News: Durant scored a game-high 22 points, including the eventual game-winner, in Wednesday's 77-75 Game 2 victory over the Lakers.
Impact: Durant wasn't as active as usual on the offensive end, as each team played intense defense. He was efficient however, making 9-of-15 shots, and clutch, dropping in a runner from a few feet out with 0:18.6 left to put Oklahoma City in front for good. He added seven boards, five assists, and two steals to complete his line.

News: Perkins (hip) will play Wednesday night in Game 2 versus the Lakers, Yahoo.com's Marc J. Spears reports.
Impact: Perkins remains a game-time decision, but it sounds like he will suit up. With the size of the Lakers' frontcourt, the Thunder will need Perkins' presence inside, particularly on the glass.

News: Perkins aggravated a hip injury in Game 1 and is listed as a game-time decision for Game 2 on Wednesday, Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports.
Impact: Perkins scored four points and recorded two blocks in 17 minutes before injuring himself on a wide-open dunk in Game 1. He is averaging 3.8 points and 5.2 boards in five games so far this postseason.

News: Perkins played Monday but left Game 1 after aggravating his hip injury.
Impact: Perkins scored four points and recorded two blocks before departing for good after playing 17 minutes. Coach Scott Brooks said Perkins could have returned to the lopsided game. His injury will be assessed Tuesday.

News: Westbrook had a big game Monday, scoring 27 points with seven rebounds and nine assists during the Thunder's blowout win over the Lakers.
Impact: Westbrook hit 10-of-15 shots from the field and 6-of-6 free-throw attempts. He also added one 3-pointer and two steals, committing just one turnover in 27 minutes of action. He absolutely overwhelmed a helpless Ramon Sessions, as OKC got off to a terrific start to the series.

News: Perkins (hip) will play Monday night against the Lakers, The Oklahoman reports.
Impact: Perkins is expected to be available for his full complement of minutes, which the Thunder will need against the Lakers' big frontcourt.

News: Perkins (hip) returned to practice Sunday, KOCO.com reports.
Impact: At this point, it looks like Perkins will play Monday night against the Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, but that's not likely to be confirmed until shortly before opening tip.

News: After finishing second in the MVP voting for the second time in his career, Durant says he doesn't get any extra motivation from coming so close to winning the NBA's top individual honor.
Impact: Durant says he's been finishing second since high school, ending up as the No. 2 draft pick in 2007 and now twice in the MVP voting. He says he's "over'' being second and is more motivated to win an NBA championship.

News: In his first season fully understanding the role, Harden won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award after leading all bench players in scoring.
Impact: Harden averaged 16.8 points on career-best 49 percent shooting this season, and he recorded his first career 40-point game last month in a win at Phoenix. The bearded combo guard also became known in the final week of the regular season when he sustained a concussion while taking an elbow from the Los Angeles Lakers' Metta World Peace.