Thunder-Wizards Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Jan 07 2013 11:59AM

Though things could get more challenging while they spend a majority of the next few weeks on the road, the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder looked pretty comfortable as the visiting team in their last game.

A matchup against the league's worst club isn't likely to give them much trouble, either.

Oklahoma City visits the nation's capital Monday night seeking a sixth win in seven games against the Washington Wizards.

Two nights after routing Philadelphia to improve to 17-3 at home, the Thunder (26-7) began a stretch of 11 of 13 on the road Sunday with a 104-92 victory over last-place Toronto. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored a combined 45 points and dished out seven assists apiece for the Thunder, who outscored the Raptors 17-9 in transition and held a 46-32 edge in the paint.

"We just want to keep on playing like we're at home and keep on racking up the wins," said Kevin Martin, who added 16 points.

Oklahoma City proved very unselfish with the basketball Sunday, compiling 24 assists to bring its record to 16-1 since the start of last season when reaching that mark.

"That's definitely going to be a continued key going into every game," coach Scott Brooks told the team's official website. "We just have to keep moving the basketball. We're good when we force the defense to chase the ball around and the ball finds a good shot. It's not really who finds it, as long as it's a good shot. We've done that most of the year and we just have to continue to build on those habits."

The Thunder will look to do just that against Washington (4-28), which had dropped five straight in this series before pulling out a 105-102 home win last Jan. 18. Durant and Westbrook combined for 69 points in that game while injured point guard John Wall led the Wizards with 25.

Washington enters this game mired in a 1-13 skid after falling 99-71 at Miami on Sunday. Kevin Seraphin and fellow reserve Cartier Martin scored 14 and 13 points for the Wizards, whose starting five was limited to 29 points on 11-of-44 shooting.

Despite those struggles, Washington managed to cut the Heat's lead to seven with just over seven minutes remaining but was outscored 21-0 the rest of the way.

"Every time we came back, we got lazy," Seraphin said. "We have to learn that every time we come back, we have to keep going to get stops."

While very little has gone its way, Washington has been especially bad when playing the second of back-to-backs. The Wizards are 0-9 in such games while averaging 86.2 points - even lower than their league-worst mark of 88.9.

Durant is averaging 31.4 points in this series - his highest mark against any opponent. In addition to trying to contain him and Westbrook, the Wizards will also have to be wary of Martin. The veteran guard has put up 24.1 points per game versus Washington - also his highest total against any team.

The Thunder have won their last 16 games when Martin scores at least 16.

Beal scores with 0.3 seconds left to lift Wizards

Posted Jan 07 2013 11:26PM

WASHINGTON (AP) Bradley Beal didn't have a plan. What he had was a good move.

Beal made a jumper with 0.3 seconds left Monday night, lifting the short-handed Washington Wizards a 101-99 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, who missed 16 straight shots at one stretch.

Beal used a pump fake to get open for the 16-footer that gave the Wizards (5-28) their second win this season over last year's NBA finalists.

"I didn't know what I was going to do to be honest with you," Beal said. "Coach just said go make a play."

Once Beal sent the Thunder (26-8) to the showers, they were doused with cold water in the away arena.

The Wizards (5-28), playing without their top two scorers, had lost 13 of their previous 14, but they also beat the Miami Heat earlier in the season. Beal and Martell Webster led the Washington with 22 points each.

Kevin Seraphin added 19 points, and Emeka Okafor had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Kevin Durant, who had 29 points, drove through the lane for a thunderous dunk to cut Oklahoma City's deficit to 95-94 with just more than two minutes left. Martell Webster answered with a four-point play to give the Wizards a 99-94 lead.

Then, Ibaka made a jumper, and Durant made a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left to tie the game at 99.

"I thought we had a chance," Russell Westbrook said. "We just had to get a stop. But the way the game had been going for us throughout the game, it wouldn't surprise me if they would make a game-winner."

Durant and Westbrook each scored 20 points in Oklahoma City's last five games, but Westbrook finished with just 17 points Monday.

Serge Ibaka stepped up as Durant's complement, scoring 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

The Thunder's cold stretch lasted from midway through the third quarter to midway through the fourth quarter, and they made just 43 percent of their shots and 24 percent of their 3-pointers for the game.

"We let them stick around, because we're not taking them serious enough," Durant said. "We can't do that, man. We can't do that."

Nene (right knee tendinitis) and Jordan Crawford (sore left ankle) missed the game with injuries.

Nene has played just 20 games this season while dealing with a foot problem (plantar fasciitis), but he had played in the Wizards' previous eight contests. He's averaging 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Crawford is averaging 15.6 points, 4.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game.

With John Wall, Trevor Booker and Cartier Martin also out, Washington had just nine players available.

The Wizards weren't completely short-handed.

Trevor Ariza, who missed the last 17 games with a left calf strain, returned. He limped noticeably after dunking in the second quarter, but he remained in the game.

A.J. Price also returned Monday after missing 15 games with a broken right hand.

Beal made a four-point play to end the third quarter, and that began an 8-0 Washington run. When the game got tight late, Beal delivered again.

"How many times have we been in this spot?" Wizards coach Randy Wittman said. "We're going to get the last shot. . I said, "It's time for us to be on the other end, to have someone step up and make a play.' Bradley made a hell of a shot."

Said Thunder coach Scott Brooks: "Truthfully, there is no way around it. The better team tonight won."

NOTES: The Wizards waived Shelvin Mack on Monday. In seven games, he averaged 5.3 points. . Brooks said he hasn't spoken with Durant about the forward's ejection during Oklahoma City's loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. "You have to play your personality," Brooks said. "You don't want to be a phony on the court, and Kevin's not. He's a nice young man that competes, competes fairly and competes the best way that he knows how to. I never complain about Kevin's passion." ... Four years ago, the Thunder started 3-29, even worse than Wittman's Wizards to open this season. "I know how Randy feels," Brooks said. "It's not easy, because you don't see a lot of sunshine. But, they have good players that work hard, and eventually it turns around. ... Kevin Durant helps, also." ... The Wizards' 30 first-quarter points matched a season high for the opening period.

Notebook: Wizards 101, Thunder 99

Benjamin Standig, for NBA.com
Posted Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:51 PM - Updated Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:51 PM

THE FACTS: Bradley Beal scored 22 points including the game-winning, one-handed floater with 0.3 seconds remaining as the Washington Wizards surprised the Oklahoma City Thunder 101-99 on Monday.

Martell Webster also scored 22 points and like Beal connected on a four-point play in the second half with his score giving the Wizards a 99-94 with 1:43 remaining. The Thunder scored the next five points, capped by Kevin Durant's 3-pointer with 36 seconds remaining. Washington's A.J. Price with 12 seconds left, but Washington retained possession, called timeout and designed a play for the 19-year-old Beal.

Settling in around the free throw line, the No, 3 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft head faked two Thunder defenders including a switching Kendrick Perkins before calmly draining the jumper.

Emeka Okafor had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards (5-28), who entered having lost five straight. Durant led the Thunder (26-8) with 29 points, and Serge Ibaka had 26 points and 11 rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "I was just telling him that a lot of players come in this and don't hit shots like that - ever. To get started that early, that's what we're looking for. We're expecting big things out of you. He's coming into his own early."
-- Wizards forward Trevor Ariza on Washington rookie Beal

THE STAT: The Wizards have two straight games over the Thunder, played in Washington, Durant's hometown. Two of Washington's five wins this season have come over last year's NBA finalists. The Wizards upset the Miami Heat on Dec.4.

TURNING POINT: Oklahoma City led 70-63 midway through the third quarter, but the Wizards rallied with a 23-6 run. In that stretch, the Thunder missed 16 consecutive shots and went nearly 11 minutes without a field goal.

QUOTABLE II: "We let them stick around, because we're not taking them serious enough. We can't do that, man. We can't do that."
-- Thunder forward Durant.

HOT: Beal matched his career-high with five 3-pointers on seven attempts. The scoring guard has tallied at least 22 points in three of his last five games.

NOT: Russell Westbrook scored 17 points, but finished 4 of 17 from the field and missed five of six 3-pointers. The All-Star guard was not the only Oklahoma City player misfiring from long range. The Thunder finished 6 of 25 (24 percent) from beyond the arc.

QUOTABLE III: "I didn't know what I was going to do to be honest with you. Coach just said go make a play. I knew [Kendrick] Perkins was going to go for it for sure. With the time running down like that you always want to contest a jump shot. I was just trying to make a smart play."

-- Washington guard Beal on his game-winner.

GOOD MOVE: Replacing the injured Nene in the starting lineup, Kevin Seraphin scored 19 points.

NOTABLE: The Wizards played without Jordan Crawford (sore left ankle), Nene (right knee tendonitis) and Cartier Martin (hyper-extended left knee). However Trevor Ariza and A.J. Price returned to the lineup for the first time after lengthy injuries.

UP NEXT: For the Thunder, Wednesday vs. Timberwolves, Friday @ Lakers, Sunday @ Trail Blazers... For the Wizards, Saturday vs. Hawks, Monday vs. Magic, Jan. 16 @ Kings.

• Thunder: Jones, Lamb, Orton
• Wizards: Booker, Wall

• Thunder: --
• Wizards: --

• Lead Changes: 11
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #63 Derek Richardson, #14 Ed Malloy, #65 Sean Wright
• Attendance: 16917
• Duration: 2:13