Thunder-Hornets Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Nov 16 2012 2:02AM

With James Harden gone, the Oklahoma City Thunder are relying on their two remaining stars more than ever.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have each logged more than 42 minutes in back-to-back games heading into Friday night's road date with the New Orleans Hornets.

The Oklahoma City All-Stars had to play big minutes in a come-from-behind win Monday at Detroit, but couldn't lead the Thunder (6-3) to another double-digit comeback in a 107-97 loss to Memphis on Wednesday night.

Durant eclipsed the 30-point mark for the first time this season with 34 in 44 minutes against the Grizzlies. Westbrook added 17 and 13 assists in 42 1/2 minutes for his fourth double-double.

Kevin Martin, who has filled Harden's old role, had a season-low seven points on just four shots.

Overall, Durant and Westbrook are playing slightly more minutes than they did last season. Durant is near the top of the league at 39.4 minutes per game, while Westbrook is averaging a career-high 36.8.

"Every game is important for us," coach Scott Brooks said. "That's how we always view our games. We have 82 big games a year. We have to give everything we have each game and not worry about saving anything for the next game."

Nevertheless, Brooks' two stars might not need to carry as much of the load against a New Orleans team the Thunder have dominated in recent years.

Oklahoma City has won eight of the last nine meetings with the Hornets (3-3), including three of the last four in New Orleans. The Thunder took all three from the Hornets in 2011-12 by an average of 9.3 points.

While they're third in the NBA in points allowed (90.5 per game), the Hornets face a tough test against the only team in the league with two players in the top 10 in scoring.

One of the keys for New Orleans, which is letting opponents get to the free-throw line at a lower rate than everyone but Minnesota (18.0 per game), will be keeping the Thunder off the stripe.

Oklahoma City has three players (Durant, Westbrook, Martin) in the top eight in attempts, and it's shooting a league-best 84.3 percent from the line.

"We're going to have to be on our game with the activity and discipline," coach Monty Williams said.

Greivis Vasquez could make things tough on the Thunder if he's able to build on Wednesday's big performance. He finished with a career-high 24 points and nine assists in New Orleans' 100-96 loss at Houston.

Vasquez, who ranks second in the Western Conference with 8.8 assists per game, is expected to play despite leaving Wednesday's game briefly in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle.

"He's coming around," Williams said. "He certainly offensively did a good job scoring and finding guys. I just love his toughness."

Ryan Anderson has also found his groove, scoring 45 points on 19 of 35 shooting with seven 3-pointers in his last two games. While the Thunder are the league's fourth-best team from beyond the arc (39.6 percent), New Orleans is fourth-worst (29.8).

Top overall pick Anthony Davis has eight blocks in two games since returning from a two-game absence due to a concussion. He'll have his hands full against Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka, who leads the NBA with 3.7 blocks per game - 0.9 more than Davis.

Thunder roll past Hornets, 110-95

By BRETT MARTEL
Posted Nov 17 2012 12:01AM

NEW ORLEANS (AP) When Kevin Durant gazed across the court at the New Orleans Hornets, a young team full of potential and stars in the making like Anthony Davis, it reminded him of what the Oklahoma City Thunder were like a few years ago.

When the Hornets saw Durant slam down an alley-oop lob to punctuate a fast break and give the Thunder a 30-point first-half lead, it reminded them of how far they still have to go to match the NBA's elite.

Durant and Kevin Martin each scored 27 points, and the Thunder rolled to their sixth victory in seven games, 110-95 over New Orleans on Friday night.

"We know what it takes to win on the road and we really respect our opponent. These guys remind me so much of us a few years back with the talent they have and the coach they have," Durant said. "I wanted to ignite my team, not by scoring the ball or rebounding or getting assists. I was just trying to inspire them by my hard work and playing with a good intensity level."

Serge Ibaka scored 15 for Oklahoma City, which shot 54 percent (40 of 74) and built a lead as large as 34 in the second half, allowing the starters to rest for the entire fourth quarter. Thabo Sefolosha scored 11 points, while Russell Westbrook had 10 points and 12 of the Thunder's 31 assists.

Westbrook made only three of 11 shots, but coach Scott Brooks raved about the guard's hustle and unselfishness.

"It was one of his better games. On both ends of the floor he was disruptive," Brooks said. "When he plays like that, it puts a lot of pressure on the opponent, a lot of pressure on their point guard to run the offense."

Westbrook, meanwhile, downplayed his role as a scorer, even though that's what he has been the past couple seasons.

"It's not about me scoring a certain amount of points. That's not the issue," Westbrook said. "Our problem is we need to win games and that's all I try to do. ... When I go to the basket, a lot of guys are collapsing on me and guys are open, and my job is to make sure they get the ball on time and on target."

Oklahoma City made 14 3-pointers, with Martin hitting six of 11 and Durant going 4 of 5.

Ryan Anderson scored 15 points for New Orleans, which dropped its second straight. Anthony Davis tied a career high with 11 rebounds to go with eight points, but hit only four of 14 shots.

"They pretty much ran away in the first half," Anderson said. "They made a lot of shots and we didn't answer fast enough. This is the NBA, where the greatest players in the world play and on any given night a player can have a night like Kevin Martin had. He couldn't miss."

The defensive-minded Hornets entered the game giving up 90.5 points per contest, the third-lowest average in the league, but Oklahoma City scored 66 in the first half on 64 percent shooting (23 of 36), including 8 of 13 from 3-point range.

The Thunder scored the first seven points and never looked back, going up by as much as 20 in the opening quarter on consecutive 3s by Martin.

Martin wound up hitting five of seven 3-point attempts in the first half and by halftime led all scorers with 22 points.

"We were just playing well as a team. The ball was just moving to me," Martin said. "I just played my normal game. If the shot's there, take it."

Although the Hornets appeared outclassed, they kept working, which seemed to get under the skin of some Thunder players.

Westbrook and Greivis Vasquez were assessed double technical fouls at the end of the half, and Durant and Kendrick Perkins walked toward halfcourt to have words with Hornets players including Davis. Monty Williams also strode toward center court and angrily told Durant and Perkins not to talk to his players.

The teams then headed to the locker rooms without further incident, and Hornets fans lustily booed Thunder players as they disappeared into the tunnel.

Westbrook said he had no idea what happened or why technicals were called. Williams said it was just a little misunderstanding.

"We thought they said something. They thought we said something. It happens," Williams said. ""When you have guys like Russell and Greivis out there competing like that, things will happen. We're men. But you also have to be man enough to admit that we do goofy things when we compete. ... So we were just out there kind of yelling back and forth. Basically they were just kicking our butts."

Notes: Hornets G Matt Carroll, acquired in a trade that sent Hakim Warrick to Charlotte on Tuesday, still has not reported to New Orleans, which has played twice since the deal. Hornets general manager Dell Demps stopped short of saying the Hornets intend to buy Carroll out, but said the player and team have an agreement that has excused Carroll from showing up for now. ... The Hornets announced earlier in the day a multiyear contract extension for Demps. ... The Thunder, who had lost its previous game Wednesday at Memphis, improved to 3-0 in games played after a loss. Last season Oklahoma City was 15-3 in games played after a loss.

Notebook: Thunder 110, Hornets 95

Bradley Handwerger, for NBA.com
Posted Fri Nov 16, 2012 11:36 PM - Updated Fri Nov 16, 2012 11:36 PM

THE FACTS: The Oklahoma City Thunder used 27 points from both Kevin Durant and Kevin Martin to easily roll past the New Orleans Hornets 110-95 Friday night.

The Hornets had no answer for the hot-shooting Thunder (7-3), who sank 54.1 percent from the night, including 48.3 percent from 3-point range. Oklahoma City's starters outscored the Hornets' by 22 points and were on the bench by the end of the game.

New Orleans (3-4) couldn't do what it did two nights earlier against Houston -- come back from a double-digit halftime deficit. Against the Rockets it was 19. Friday night, the difference was 29.

Ryan Anderson tried to help New Orleans make a game of it in the fourth, putting up eight points in the first four minutes, forcing Oklahoma City to take a timeout. But the stoppage in play helped stem the tide and the Thunder's one-time 34-point lead proved more than enough to keep any Hornets' attempt to tighten the game at bay.

Anderson's 15 led the Hornets. Robin Lopez led New Orleans' starters with 12 points.

Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook finished with a double-double, scoring 10 points and putting up 12 assists.

QUOTABLE: "You knew after their last game that they were really going to come out swinging. Basically, they swung and hit first. We didn't respond. We gave up a 30-plus point quarter and that was pretty much the game." -- Hornets guard Roger Mason.

THE STAT: The Thunder recorded a season-high 31 assists on 40 made shots. Oklahoma City moved the ball around and didn't allow the Hornets to get its defense set. Brooks said after the game it was the best ball movement he has seen from his team since this particular group has been together.

TURNING POINT: Oklahoma City's Martin entered with 5:03 to play in the first quarter and the Thunder leading only 17-8. By the end of the first quarter, Martin had 11 points, the Thunder had an 18-point lead and New Orleans was out of the game. In just five minutes, Martin was 3 of 4, hitting two 3-pointers, was 3-for-3 from the free-throw line and had grabbed two rebounds.

QUOTABLE II: "It's just one of those situations where a few things were said. It's funny -- while we were talking nobody was cussing. I don't cuss anyway. Scotty doesn't. So we were just out there kind of yelling back and forth. Basically they were just kicking our butts." -- Hornets coach Monty Williams on situation as the first-half ended that required coaches to hold both teams back.

NOT: Hornets forward Anthony Davis has cooled off after starting the season strong. Friday, against Oklahoma City, Davis went just 4-for-14, making him 6 of 21 in the past two games. Davis did have 11 rebounds, but he finished with only eight points.

NOTABLE: New Orleans has given up at least 100 points in two consecutive games. The Hornets entered the game with the third-best scoring defense in the NBA, allowing just 90.5 points per game. ... Westbrook's double-double was his fifth of the season; the Thunder has played just 10 games. ... Oklahoma City scored a season-high 66 points in the first quarter after shooting 63.9 percent. ... Former Hornets forward P.J. Brown was at the game, watching from courtside seats.

UP NEXT: For the Hornets: Saturday @ Milwaukee, Tuesday vs. New York, Wednesday @ Indiana. For the Thunder: Sunday vs. Golden State, Wednesday vs. L.A. Clippers, Friday @ Boston.

• Thunder: Orton
• Hornets: Gordon

• Thunder: Westbrook
• Hornets: Vasquez

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA
• Officials: #8 Marc Davis, #74 Curtis Blair, #40 Leon Wood
• Attendance: 15458
• Duration: 2:06