Thunder-Kings Preview

By MATT BECKER
Posted Feb 08 2012 6:15PM

Kevin Durant has scored 33 points in each of Oklahoma City's last two games in helping the Thunder rally for a pair of victories.

The three-time All-Star could be poised for another big outing.

Durant looks to lead the Western Conference-best Thunder to a seventh straight win over the Kings on Thursday night at Power Balance Pavilion, one of the two-time scoring champion's favorite arenas.

After scoring 13 of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime in Monday's 111-107 victory over Portland, Durant scored 12 in the final period of Tuesday's 119-116 win over Golden State. He made the go-ahead bank shot with 14.2 seconds remaining against the Warriors after putting the finishing touches on Monday's victory with a dunk with 2.9 seconds left.

"It's fun," said Durant, who has reached the 30-point mark five times in the last seven contests after having one 30-point game in his previous 14. "This is what you dream about as a kid. Guys want to take those shots and play in those minutes."

The Thunder (20-5) haven't needed any late-game heroics from Durant against the Kings.

Oklahoma City has won six straight in the series since a 101-98 loss Nov. 10, 2009, with the four meetings last season being decided by an average of 13.8 points. Not surprisingly, Durant - third in the league with 27.3 points per game - has played a big role in the Thunder's success, especially in Sacramento.

In five games at Power Balance Pavilion since 2008-09, Durant is averaging 32.8 points, his best at any arena.

Durant, however, isn't the only player the Kings need to worry about on the Thunder, one of the league's highest-scoring teams at 101.2 points per game.

Russell Westbrook is averaging 27.1 points in his last seven games, while James Harden is averaging 20.3 on 52.1 percent shooting in his last four. Westbrook had 31 points and seven assists Tuesday to help give the Thunder their fourth win in five games.

Oklahoma City's high-powered offense will likely be a big test for Sacramento, which is playing much better defensively.

The Kings (9-16) are allowing an average of 94.2 points on 42.7 percent shooting in splitting their last six games after allowing an average of 117.0 points on 52.0 percent shooting in losing their previous three.

Sacramento did a good job of shutting down a Minnesota team playing without the suspended Kevin Love on Tuesday, but the offense struggled in an 86-84 defeat.

Tyreke Evans, who averages 17.2 points, scored 11 on 5-of-13 shooting, while DeMarcus Cousins shot 3 for 13 and finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds after combining for 49 points and 39 boards in his previous two games.

Rookie Jimmer Fredette, benched for two straight games last week, helped pick up the slack, scoring all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter as the Kings nearly erased a nine-point deficit. Sacramento had a chance to win, but Donte Greene's 3-pointer from the corner missed at the buzzer.

"It would have been a perfect, happy ending to our comeback for that to go in," Greene said. "But it didn't fall."

A game against Oklahoma City, which has allowed at least 107 points in each of its last three games, could help Evans and Cousins bounce back from Tuesday's subpar showings.

Evans scored 52 points in his two games against the Thunder last season, while Cousins averaged 21.0 points in four - his second-highest average against any team during his rookie season.

Tyreke Evans leads Kings past Thunder

Posted Feb 10 2012 2:32AM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Playing on national TV for the first and only time this season, the Sacramento Kings and their rabid fans put on a good show - at the expense of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It was tough to overlook the youthful Kings after Tyreke Evans scored 22 points and DeMarcus Cousins had 19 points and nine rebounds in Sacramento's 106-101 comeback victory that dropped Oklahoma City to second overall in the NBA.,

It was a difficult start to the season for the Kings, who had a 2-5 record and were a troubled team on and off the court when coach Paul Westphal was fired. The turnaround has been gradual for the Kings, the youngest team in the NBA. But they have improved under new coach Keith Smart and the latest victory was their fourth in five games.

"We've improved as a team, we're on the right path now," said Cousins, who was clearly unhappy under Westphal. "We're a lot better than our record (10-16) shows. We've grown so much from the team we used to be."

That growth surfaced against the Thunder, an experienced team that a year ago lost to the eventual-champion Dallas Mavericks the Western Conference finals. It was Oklahoma City that looked like the inexperienced team, committing 23 turnovers, including six in the fourth quarter when it was outscored 30-23. The turnovers led to 28 Sacramento points.

"I thrive on a team that creates high deflections because that gets you on a good level on nights when you're not scoring," said Smart, whose team won despite shooting 40 percent. "Deflections, steals and altered shots can get you in the open court. We have some fabulous guys that can get out into the open court and make plays."

The Kings didn't make a field goal in the final 2 minutes, but still kept the sellout crowd that was dressed primarily in black, matching the Kings' uniforms, roaring with approval. Sacramento's final nine points came on free throws.

Russell Westbrook scored 33 points, but also committed seven turnovers. Kevin Durant added 27 points for Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City, at 20-6 a game behind Chicago for the overall lead.

"We had a good lead and in the last five or six minutes we've been good all season," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "But the turnovers hit us tonight. We played with good effort, but we didn't play with a controlled effort."

Marcus Thornton fouled out late in the game with 15 points for Sacramento. Jason Thompson had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Donte Greene scored 10 points.

Struggling for three quarters, the streak-shooting Thornton found his stroke in the fourth. He scored 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers that came at big moments.

"I wasn't having a very good game, but I made shots when they counted, that's what I've done my whole career," Thornton said. "I was trying to get myself going in the fourth quarter and try to make some shots and turn the game around."

James Harden scored 17 points for the Thunder, 11-5 on the road. Serge Ibaka tied his career high with 10 blocks, and added nine rebounds. His block total was one short of the Sacramento arena record of 11 set by David Robinson of San Antonio. The Thunder had a franchise-record 17 blocks.

"It was just frustrating to lose because Serge had a great game tonight," Durant said. "He was closing up the rim, in the paint, and we couldn't close it out for him. It was a tough loss, but we have to move on. We have a game tomorrow (in Utah) and we can't harp on this one."

After Westbrook's jumper gave Oklahoma City a one-point lead, Green made two free throws and Evans added another, giving the Kings a 101-99 lead. Durant missed a jumper, and Cousins was fouled after securing the rebound. Cousins made two free throws to give Sacramento a 103-99 lead with 27.4 seconds left.

Trailing by eight points, the Kings refused to fold late in the fourth. They scored seven straight points, including a 3-pointer from Thornton that pulled them to 95-94 with 2:42 left.

Thornton hit another 3 to tie it at 97.

Notes: The Thunder will conclude their five-game trip Friday night in Utah. ... After a slow first quarter, Westbrook got going in the second, scoring nine points. ... Kings reserve forward Chuck Hayes matched his season high in the opening half, scoring eight points. He failed to score in the second.

Notebook: Kings 106, Thunder 101

Posted Friday February 10, 2012 2:04AM

By James Ham, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: In front of an incredible, sold out crowd, the Sacramento Kings pulled off the improbable, 106-101 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tyreke Evans led the Kings with 23, but it was two clutch 3-point shots by Marcus Thornton that brought the Kings back in this one.

Russell Westbrook led all scorers with 33 points on 15-for-26 shooting and Kevin Durant kicked in 27, but it wasn't enough to over take the Kings on their home floor.

QUOTABLE: "I had to trust him and trust him. If I lose, I was going to lose it with him on the floor."
-- Kings coach Keith Smart on Thornton's big finish to the game

THE STAT: The Thunder played incredible help defense tonight against the Kings, finishing with 17 blocks. Serge Ibaka led the way with 10, including a few that went deep in the stands.

TURNING POINT: With 2:42 left in the fourth, Thornton drilled a 3-pointer that electrified the crowd and brought the Kings to within one at 95-94. Moments later, he buried another three from the corner to tie it at 97-97 and the momentum was all Kings.

QUOTABLE II: "That's the best team in the league, so naturally, we were in this game from the beginning. We wanted to beat this team. Maybe a lot of people doubted us that we couldn't beat them, but we never doubted ourselves. I was looking for a "W". I knew we could beat them."
-- Kings owner Gavin Maloof on the victory tonight over Oklahoma City

HOT: Westbrook came out in the third quarter like a man possessed. After scoring 11 in the first half, he dropped another 16 in the third on a series of drives to the basket and breakaway dunks.

NOT: John Salmons shot 2-for-10 on the night, but played incredible defense through the second half on both James Harden and Durant.

NOTABLE: The Kings have now won four of their last five ballgames, including quality wins against the Blazers and Thunder. On the season, the Kings are 7-4 at home and just 3-12 on the road.

UP NEXT: For the Thunder, Friday @ Utah, Tuesday vs. Utah, Wednesday @ Houston. For the Kings, Saturday vs. Phoenix, Tuesday @ Chicago, Wednesday @ New York.

• Thunder: Maynor, Sefolosha
• Kings: Whiteside

• Thunder: --
• Kings: --

• Lead Changes: 14
• Times Tied: 13

• Arena: Power Balance Pavilion, Sacramento, CA
• Officials: #38 Michael Smith, #11 Derrick Collins, #73 Tre Maddox
• Attendance: 17317
• Duration: 2:33