Nuggets-Thunder Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Feb 18 2012 5:55PM

The young Oklahoma City Thunder took a big step forward with a first-round playoff win over the Denver Nuggets in April.

One of the players who keyed that triumph might not be available for the teams' first meeting since that series.

Russell Westbrook's status is uncertain as the Thunder take on the visiting Nuggets on Sunday night.

Oklahoma City (23-7) has the best record in the Western Conference and its emergence as a power team in the West isn't too surprising. The Thunder reached the conference finals last season, losing in five games to Dallas.

The franchise picked up its first playoff series victory since 2005 by moving past Denver in five games in the first round. While Oklahoma City closed out the series relatively quickly, it wasn't easy, with four games decided by fewer than five points.

Durant averaged 32.4 points in the series, with two 41-point games, including in the deciding contest. Westbrook also had an impressive series, averaging 23.8 points, 6.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds.

Westbrook could be a game-time decision Sunday after leaving with a sprained right ankle in the third quarter of Oklahoma City's 110-87 win over Golden State on Friday. The point guard, averaging a career-best 22.6 points but among the NBA's worst with 4.3 turnovers per game, has never missed a game in his four-year career.

He's not the Thunder's only injury concern. It's unclear if Kendrick Perkins will return after sitting out Friday with a right knee contusion. Fellow starter Thabo Sefolosha will miss a 12th straight game due to a foot problem.

"It's part of the game. Our organization, we don't make excuses," coach Scott Brooks said. "You play through it. You can't do anything about it. We have a team full of guys who are capable of playing good minutes."

That proved to be true Friday as Oklahoma City's bench came up big. James Harden scored a season-high 25 points while seldom-used Royal Ivey played 21 minutes and scored nine points on three 3-pointers, hitting two in the fourth quarter. Reggie Jackson scored seven of his nine points in the final period.

"If guys go down, then guys have to step up," Ivey said. "We've been playing well this year and you don't want to let your teammates down. You want to add to their success."

The Nuggets' depth also is being challenged by injuries. Leading scorer Danilo Gallinari is out for a month with an ankle injury and Nene has missed the last three games with an injured calf, including a 103-102 loss at Memphis on Friday.

Denver (17-14) came back from a 23-point deficit but lost on a tip-in with less than a second left.

"We never quit. We're not a team of quitters," rookie Kenneth Faried said. "Everybody stayed focused, and everybody stayed hungry."

Balanced scoring keyed the Nuggets' strong start to the season, but they've been hurt recently by poor defense. They've lost seven of nine while giving up an average of 103.2 points.

It's uncertain if Nene will return Sunday, but his absence has left Denver weak inside. Starting center Timofey Mozgov missed seven straight games with a sprained ankle before returning Friday to play 16 minutes off the bench, but the NBA's official website reported that he aggravated the injury. Mozgov did not play in the fourth quarter.

Al Harrington made his first start of the season but finished with four points while going 0 for 3 from the field.

Faried, though, had a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds for his third straight game scoring in double figures and first double-double.

Durant finally breaks 50, OKC edges Denver 124-118

By JEFF LATZKE
Posted Feb 20 2012 3:05AM

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) With two NBA scoring titles to his credit, it seemed inevitable that Kevin Durant would eventually hit the 50-point plateau.

He picked a historic night to do it.

Durant scored a career-best 51 points for the top performance in the NBA this season, Russell Westbrook added 40 and Serge Ibaka had his first career triple-double as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 124-118 in overtime Sunday night.

The Thunder trio became the first teammates in NBA history to put together a 50-point night, a 40-point complementary effort and a triple-double. No teammates had scored at least 40 points apiece since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen did it for Chicago in 1996, and Denver's Kiki Vandeweghe and Alex English back in a 1983 triple-overtime game were the last tandem to go for 50 and 40.

"Unbelievable," Oklahoma City's James Harden said. "That's probably one of the best regular-season games that I've played in since I've been here, or the best.

"Kevin had 50, Russell had 40 and Serge had a triple-double. What else can you say?"

Durant hit a 3-pointer and drove for a dunk to tie the game with 4.4 seconds left in regulation, after Oklahoma City had to rally from nine points down in the fourth quarter - despite having scored 20 points in a row during a stretch spanning halftime.

Ibaka added 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks to become the 14th player in franchise history with a triple-double and the first to do it with double-digit blocks. It was his third time with at least 10 blocks this season.

"It's unreal, man," Westbrook said. "Tonight was a nice, epic game."

Fans in the sellout crowd chanted "MVP!" as Durant hit two free throws in the final seconds to surpass 50 points for the first time and put the finishing touches on Oklahoma City's ninth straight win at home.

His steal allowed the Thunder to run out the final few ticks and give him a moment to cherish with his family. He walked over and gave his mother, who was seated courtside, a smooch on the forehead and a big hug when time expired.

"They've been there with me ever since I was 8 trying to play this game," Durant said. "To score 50 points with them on the sideline at the highest level of basketball is a dream come true and a blessing. To go through it with them is pretty cool."

Durant, who will start the All-Star game for the second straight time this weekend, had scored at least 40 points 17 times in his four-year career. But 50 had always been elusive.

"The way we came back and the shots that were made in the fourth quarter and for us to win, that feels better to get the W," Durant said.

"But 51 is pretty cool. As a kid, that's something that you dream about."

He scored six points in overtime to get over the hump.

"Now, it doesn't stop. Once he gets it, it's going to come naturally to him," Westbrook said. "He's a natural-born scorer."

"To be honest, I didn't think I would be at this point when I was young," said Durant, still just 23 years old. "Everything has been a whirlwind for me, and I'm just happy that I'm here."

Arron Afflalo scored 27 points and Andre Miller had 21 points and 10 assists for Denver, which had a shot to win at the end of regulation.

Ty Lawson, who missed a 3-pointer with 7 seconds left, also couldn't connect on an off-balance jumper from the foul line at the buzzer after pump-faking Westbrook into the air.

Reserve Rudy Fernandez (lower back strain) joined starters Danilo Gallinari (ankle) and Nene (calf) on the Nuggets' injury list, and coach George Karl went with his 13th different lineup of the season in 32 games.

Denver lost for the eighth time in its last 10 games. The last two have been particularly wrenching, on a tip-in with under a second left at Memphis and then an overtime thriller at West-leading Oklahoma City.

"We're piecing it together pretty good right now. I'm excited about that," Karl said. "I'm excited about the energy we're putting on the court. ... I feel bad for them because they deserve at least one win, maybe both wins."

Westbrook hit a 3 on Oklahoma City's opening possession of overtime, and the Nuggets committed five turnovers to squander their chances in the extra period.

"People might talk about me getting 50, but Russell Westbrook carried us in overtime," Durant said.

It was a wildly back-and-forth game from the start, with big swings in either direction.

The Thunder had a 16-2 run to dig out of an early hole, then gave up a 29-7 Nuggets run to trail 46-32 with 6:29 left before halftime - their largest deficit at Chesapeake Energy Arena this season.

Oklahoma City took care of that with a 20-0 run spanning halftime, going up 65-58 after Durant's right-handed slam with 8:04 left in the third.

Then it was Denver's turn again, rallying to take a brief lead late in the third and then getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Al Harrington just after Durant and Westbrook re-entered for a 93-84 advantage with 8:50 to play.

After Oklahoma City came back to tie it, Lawson hit a 3-pointer and Harrington made two free throws for a 111-106 Denver lead with 43 seconds left. Durant hit a second-chance 3-pointer from the top of the key with 30 seconds left and then drove past Chris Andersen for a dunk with 4.4 seconds remaining to tie it up.

"We were kind of laughing and saying, `When was the last time he missed a shot in the fourth quarter against us?' He makes everything," Karl said.

"There's an offensive rebound. Why does he come wide open? Why can't someone else come wide open?"

NOTES: Thunder reserve Lazar Hayward was out with a fractured left orbital floor after being poked in the eye late in Oklahoma City's win against Golden State on Friday. ... The Nuggets (103.4) and Thunder (101.6) are two of three teams averaging more than 100 points per game, trailing only Miami (103.7) in the NBA rankings. ... Lenny Wilkens, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and Jack Sikma are among the 12 players with triple-doubles for the Seattle SuperSonics. Westbrook is the only one other than Ibaka to do it with the Thunder.

Notebook: Thunder 124, Nuggets 118

Posted Monday February 20, 2012 12:45AM

By Randy Renner, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Three-time All-Star Kevin Durant has talked many times about one day scoring 50 points in a basketball game, something he hadn't done yet in his career. The wait is over as Durant dropped 51 on the Denver Nuggets (19-for-28 shooting, 5-for-6 on 3-pointers) to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a thrilling 124-118 overtime win. Durant scored 31 of his 51 in the second half. Durant's historic night is just a third of an epic Thunder performance. Point guard Russell Westbrook had 40 points while handing out nine assists and forward Serge Ibaka compiled a triple-double with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks. It marks the first time in NBA history that a trio of teammates combined to score 50 points, 40 points and record a triple-double. Durant and Westbrook scored all 13 of the Thunder points in the overtime.

The Nuggets had seven players in double figures led by Arron Afflalo's 27. Andre Miller added 21 and point guard Ty Lawson had 17. The Nuggets dominated inside scoring an amazing 72 paint points. Of their 49 made baskets, 36 came from down low. Denver led by as many as 14 but could not hold off the Thunder in overtime.

QUOTABLE: "That was a heck of a game. Unfortunately someone had to lose. Kevin, Russell and Serge, it was an amazing thing to watch."
-- Thunder coach Scott Brooks

QUOTABLE II: "The game of basketball can be really mean to you. Tonight we did our job and did very well. I'm proud of my team. To have a great player take a game from you like that is just heart wrenching. It's just the bounce of the ball."
-- Nuggets coach George Karl

QUOTABLE iII: "That was unbelievable. Probably the best regular-season game I've been a part of or ever seen. 51, 40, triple-double, what else can you say?"
-- Thunder guard James Harden

QUOTABLE IV: "It feels better to get the win but it is pretty cool (to get 50 points). It's something you dream about as a kid."
-- Durant

THE STAT: Durant and Westbrook combined to hit 35 of the Thunder's 46 made field goals. They were a combined 8-for-12 on 3-pointers and 13-for-15 at the free throw line. In the second half the duo hit 24 of the Thunder's 28 baskets.

TURNING POINT: The game turned several times before taking its final twist. The Nuggets went on a 10-0 run to end the first quarter and take the lead. The Thunder answered with a 20-0 spurt from the end of the second quarter through the first four minutes of the third and Denver started the fourth quarter with a 10-1 run to take a lead. In the overtime Oklahoma City outscored Denver 13-7 to take the game.

QUOTABLE V: "They're one of the best teams in basketball and we took them to overtime. In a lot of ways we won the game. But, the scoreboard says we lost it. Somehow, someway, I've got to get my team to realize that we won a lot of things."
-- Karl

HOT: The Nuggets hit six of their first nine shots (66.7 percent). ... Denver went on to shoot 52.1 percent and score 58 points in the first half. ... Durant was 4-for-5 in the first quarter. He was 12-for-17 and had scored 30 points at the end of three quarters. ...Denver's Kosta Koufos was 5-for-6 in the first half. ... In the second half Durant and Westbrook each were 3-for-4 on 3-pointers.

NOT: Westbrook was 4-for-11 in the first half. ... Harden was 2-for-7 in the initial 24 minutes and finished 2-for-12 and 1-for-7 on 3-pointers.

GOOD MOVE: With just four seconds on the shot clock late in the first quarter, Thunder forward Nick Collison took the inbounds pass and flipped the ball to Durant. Collison then set a screen on Durant's man and KD fired up a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired.

BAD MOVE: Oklahoma City was slow to get back on defense several times in the first half, including two straight possessions, prompting Brooks to yell, "get back, get back, get back," and then call a timeout after the Nuggets hit consecutive uncontested layups.

NOTABLE: Ibaka's triple-double is the first in Oklahoma City/Seattle franchise history to include blocks as part of the triple-double. ... Durant (51) and Westbrook (40) are the first set of teammates to score 50 and 40 points since Kiki Vandeweghe (51) and Alex English (47) did it for the Nuggets in 1983. They are the first duo to score 40-plus apiece since Michael Jordan (44) and Scottie Pippen (40) did it for the Bulls in 1996. ... Ibaka has now blocked at least 10 shots in three games this season. The first time since Shawn Bradley had five double-digit block games in the 1996-97 season. ... OKC is now 12-1 at home and has won nine consecutive at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

UP NEXT: For the Nuggets, Monday vs. Minnesota, Wednesday @ L.A. Clippers, Thursday vs. San Antonio. For the Thunder, Monday vs. New Orleans, Wednesday vs. Boston, Thursday vs. L.A. Lakers.

• Nuggets: Nene
• Thunder: Maynor, Sefolosha

• Nuggets: --
• Thunder: --

• Lead Changes: 9
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
• Officials: #61 Courtney Kirkland, #14 Ed Malloy, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 18203
• Duration: 2:38