Thunder-Suns Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Feb 09 2013 12:21PM

Despite their recent struggles versus Oklahoma City, the Phoenix Suns appear eager for their last chance to avoid another season-series sweep at the hands of the reigning Western Conference champions.

After ending a rough trip by being blown out in Oklahoma, the Suns look to avoid a 10th consecutive defeat to the surging Thunder on Sunday night.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook carried a relatively light load in Oklahoma City's 127-96 win over Phoenix (17-34) on Friday. Since losing four of seven, the Thunder (38-12) have shot 51.7 percent and averaged 119.3 points while beating Dallas, Golden State and the Suns by a combined 73 during a three-game homestand.

Durant and Westbrook did not play in the fourth quarter in any of those three contests.

Thabo Sefolosha scored a season-high 18 points Friday as Oklahoma City recorded its best home shooting night of the season - 57.5 percent - while posting its highest point total of 2012-13.

"They have a really high-level team and we knew that," interim Suns coach Lindsey Hunter said. "We expected that. It's a great learning process for all of us by showing us where we want to be, where we strive to be, and where we will be."

The Suns hope that type of progress comes sooner rather than later. Ending their nine-game skid against the Thunder could go a long way toward helping a Phoenix club that's lost two in a row and six of eight overall.

"Any competitor would want to have a chance at them again, and I'm sure we do," said Hunter, whose team returns home after a 1-3 trip.

The Suns' last win in this series came on the road Dec. 19, 2010, and Phoenix has lost five straight home meetings with the Thunder dating back to a 106-95 win March 14, 2009.

Oklahoma City has averaged 114.3 points and shot 51.9 percent while winning the three previous matchups with the Suns this season by an average margin of 20.3.

Each starter had at least nine points and Kevin Martin added 16 off the bench Friday for Oklahoma City, which used a 21-0 third-quarter run to blow the game open and scored more than any other opponent has against Phoenix this season.

"Every loss is disheartening, but by that many points, that embarrassing - that adds a little more," said Suns forward Michael Beasley, who scored a team-high 25 off the bench. "That's where we want to be in the near future."

Durant, who scored 41 in a 102-90 win at Phoenix on Jan. 14, has averaged 30.2 points in his last five against the Suns. He had only 21 on Friday but Kendrick Perkins shot 8 of 9 and scored 17 points - his most since being acquired from Boston in February 2011.

Westbrook, who had a season-high 36 at Phoenix last month, scored 17 points in 25 minutes Friday and is shooting 51.1 percent in his last five games.

Phoenix center Marcin Gortat averaged 17.0 points with 12.0 rebounds in his previous four games against the Thunder before being held to two and five, respectively, Friday.

Sefolosha helps Thunder rout Phoenix again 97-69

By BOB BAUM
Posted Feb 10 2013 11:30PM

PHOENIX (AP) When Oklahoma City faces Phoenix, the Thunder rolls.

Thabo Sefolosha made a career-high 5 of 7 3-pointers and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Phoenix Suns for the second game in a row 97-69 on Sunday night.

The 28-point blowout followed a 127-96 Thunder romp over the Suns in Oklahoma City on Friday night.

"We played the same as we did last time," Russell Westbrook said. "I think we did a good job of that, and maybe even better this time."

Westbrook scored 24 points in 28 minutes in the Thunder's 10th straight victory over Phoenix, the longest active streak for any Suns opponent.

Sefolosha added 20 points, two shy of his career high. Kevin Durant scored 18, 11 below his NBA-leading season average (29.1), in limited duty in the Thunder's fourth straight win, none of them by fewer than a 21-point margin.

Sefolosha set a season high for the second straight game after getting 18 against the Suns on Friday.

The one-sided wins are giving everybody plenty of time on the court.

"The thing about our team we have guys who can come in and do a good job when needed," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "There are some guys who don't get to play, but it nice for them to get opportunities."

Markieff Morris was the only Phoenix player in double figures with 12.

Wesley Johnson's tip-in with 7.8 seconds to play prevented the Suns from setting a franchise scoring low, a mark that has stood for nearly 32 years. Phoenix scored 68 at Kansas City on March 8, 1981.

"Never in my career I get beat two games in a row by so many points," said the Suns' Goran Dragic, who scored six points on 2 of 7 shooting. "It was a tough game. I mean, they're one of the better teams in the league. They were controlling the game from the start. We didn't know what we were doing defensively, offensively."

Durant was just 1 for 5 shooting in the first quarter but Oklahoma City still led 27-16. The Thunder scored the last eight in the quarter, including a pair of 3s from the corner by Sefolosha. Sefolosha made another one to start the second quarter, capping the run at 11-0 and putting Oklahoma City up 30-16.

Phoenix crawled back, cutting it to 35-32 on P.J. Tucker's rebound basket, but the Thunder scored the next nine, including another 3 for Sefolosha, and it was 45-32.

Oklahoma City finished the half with a 16-2 run, Westbrook's 3 at the buzzer putting the Thunder up 51-34.

To start the third quarter, Sefolosha scored, Durant dunked and the rout was on at 55-34. Oklahoma City led 74-48 after three.

"We are just trying to focus on us every single day and how we can be better and playing up to our standards, which is defense first," Durant said.

"These past two or three games have been really great for us on the defensive end setting the tone. When we play an all-around game with everyone contributing on the offensive end, defensive end. We always do it as unit. Then offensive end, we are doing a better job of playing together. Everybody getting touches and feeling good about themselves."

The biggest lead was 35.

"You treat it as one game," interim coach Lindsey Hunter said. "It is like having a bad day at work and nothing goes right for you. Look at it and you go on. You know what? I am glad today is over, let's start over. You do not hang your head and dwell on it, you move on. And that is what we are going to do. That is my job not to let the guys have pity parties."

Sefolosha had four 3s, in five attempts, by halftime to tie his career high for a game, set four times, most recently two nights earlier in the rout of the Suns. He broke it with a 3 in the second half.

Phoenix shot 33 percent to Oklahoma City's 45 percent.

The Thunder made 20 of 27 free throws while the Suns went to the line a season-low five times, making all of them.

The seven fouls by the Thunder were the fewest ever for a Phoenix opponent. The previous mark was eight set just under 38 years ago.

Oklahoma City, improving to 16-9 on the road, has won its past four by 21, 21, 32 and 28 points.

Notes: The Thunder were without Kevin Martin because of the flu. ... The Suns last beat the Thunder on Dec. 19, 2010, in Oklahoma City. Their last win over the Thunder in Phoenix was on March 14, 2009. ... Oklahoma City has two games before the All-Star break - Tuesday night at Utah, then home against Miami on Thursday. The Suns have one before the break, at the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. ... Oklahoma City's most one-sided victory this season was 114-69 over Charlotte on Nov. 26. The Suns' most one-sided loss was 117-77 at Detroit on Nov. 28.

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Follow Bob Baum at www.twitter.com/Thebaumerphx

Notebook: Thunder 97-69

Mike Tulumello, For NBA.com
Posted Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:49 PM - Updated Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:49 PM

THE FACTS: The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to do their part in the race for the NBA's best record, beating the Phoenix Suns 97-69 Sunday night. The visiting Thunder remained one-half game behind San Antonio by cruising to an easy win.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder (39-12) with 24 points, while Thabo Sefolosha had 20 points. Kevin Durant had 18 points.

The once high-scoring Suns (17-35) were so ineffective against the Thunder's defense that they had only 21 baskets against 19 turnovers after three quarters. They didn't even hit 50 points until 7:50 remained in the game. With 67 points, they appeared to be a lock for scoring the fewest points in franchise history as the final seconds wound down; the record is 68 set in 1981 vs. Kansas City.

Then, the Thunder's DeAndre Liggins turned the ball over and Wesley Johnson slammed home a follow shot with 7.8 seconds left against a Thunder team that was about to start congratulating each other.

For the Suns, Markieff Morris (12 points) became the only player to manage double figures by hitting a 3-pointer with 5:48 left. Thunder sixth man Kevin Martin missed the game with flu-like symptoms. The Thunder drew only seven fouls, setting a franchise-low for a Suns' opponent. The previous record was eight, set vs. Detroit on March 27, 1975.

QUOTABLE: "I'll take the defensive game. ... Any time you can hold an NBA team to three straight quarters of under 20 points [the Suns had 16, 18 and 14 to start the game], that's a lot of good defensive intensity."

-- Thunder coach Scott Brooks

QUOTABLE II: ""We want to have the homecourt advantage but, right now, we want to focus on how we can be better. ... I hope we can play so well we don't have to play in the fourth quarter [every night].

-- Kevin Durant

THE STAT: The Suns avoided the lowest point total in their 45-season history, covering more than 3,600 games, only when the Thunder threw the ball away then allowed the Suns to score in the final seconds. "I've seen worse," Suns coach Lindsey Hunter said.

TURNING POINT: When the teams took the floor. The Suns simply don't have the firepower to compete with the Thunder over 48 minutes.

QUOTABLE III: "We're playing at a high level at both ends of the floor."

-- Scott Brooks

HOT: Sefolosha shot 7-for-11, 5-for-7 on 3-pointers. "I'm shooting with confidence," he said. "I'm not truing to put any extra pressure on myself."

NOT: The Suns shot just 30-for-91, 4-for-14 on 3-pointers. Jared Dudley, their starting off guard, failed to score.

IN THE ARENA: The boos are becoming more frequent whenever Michael Beasley enters or leaves the game. Before Sunday's game, he had averaged averaged 16.1 points in the 10 games since the Suns changed from Alvin Gentry to Hunter as the coach. But he gained more local attention recently with an automotive misadventure in Scottsdale when he was charged with speeding and driving without a license. On Sunday, he shot just 2-for-11 with four points. He had eight rebounds but also four turnovers.

ROOKIE WATCH: Kendall Marshall has replaced Sebastian Telfair as the Suns' backup point guard, so the Suns can get a good look at their much-criticized, first-round selection from last year. Results have been mixed. Over these past six games when he's been in the rotation, Marshall is averaging 4.3 points on 45 percent shooting, 2.8 assists and 1.5 turnovers. Perhaps the most troubling season-long stat: Marshall, because he seldom looks to score, has shot just four free throws in 194 minutes of action.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: The Suns' Marcin Gortat averaged just 4.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in the back-to-back games vs. the Thunder.

NOTABLE: Goran Dragic is one of two NBA players who leads his team in points (14.3), assists (6.4), steals (1.41) and free throws (200). The other is LeBron James. All these numbers for Dragic are career highs.

UP NEXT: For the Thunder, Tuesday @ Utah, Thursday vs. Heat, Wednesday, Feb. 20, @ Houston. For the Suns, Tuesday @ Los Angeles Lakers, Tuesday, Feb. 19 @ Portand and Wednesday, Feb. 20 @ Golden State.

• Thunder: Lamb
• Suns: Frye, Garrett

• Thunder: Perkins
• Suns: Dragic, Morris

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
• Officials: #41 Ken Mauer, #61 Courtney Kirkland, #63 Derek Richardson
• Attendance: 16773
• Duration: 2:12