Game Recap: Thunder 110, 76ers 105 in OT

News and notes following the Thunder’s 110-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday:

  • Thunder now 7-1 in overtime games and 25-8 when leading games after three quarters and 17-2 when hitting at least half their shots. OKC hit right at 50% against the 76ers. Philadelphia scored just four points in the last nine minutes of the game. “Our first quarter defense wasn’t very good,” said Thunder Head Coach Scott Brooks, “but in the second half and late in the game that was about as good a defense as we can play.”

  • Kevin Durant ties a career high with 16 defensive rebounds, to go with his 34 points. He sent the game into overtime by lacing a three-pointer.
    “I just wanted to get a good look,” Durant said after the game, “I was open for just a second, it was a great pass and a great screen. It was lookin’ bad for us there for a minute but we just stayed with it.”
    “KD hit a big shot we had several guys take charges tonight,” said Thunder Head Coach Scott Brooks, “This was a good win with lots of big plays down the stretch. Kevin works very hard at his game, we see it every day. He gives us great effort, like champions do and that’s what he is. He’s all about the team.”

  • Russell Westbrook with his 26th double-double with 27 points and 12 assists plus he picked up his first charge of the season late in the game that helped seal the win. “Yeah Russ’ charge was about as big as they get,” said Thunder center Nick Collison, who picked up a couple himself.

  • Oklahoma City’s biggest lead was the final margin, five points.

  • The defense was great in the overtime. Philly was just 2-for-9 with three turnovers in the extra time. Andre Iguodala was held scoreless in the fourth quarter and OT. “We knew our defense would win the game,” Durant said, “Russ (Westbrook) took charges, Nick (Collison) took charges and James (Harden) got a big offensive foul on ‘em. Great team win.”

  • Thunder off to a slow start, trailing 12-2 with three turnovers. Coming out of a quick timeout Thunder stabilize and come roaring back, hitting five straight shots at one point.

  • Thunder down by six at the break, 34-28. OKC ended up shooting 60% in the first quarter, Philly was 50% but 6-for-9 from long range.

  • Kevin Durant off to a hot shooting start (4-for-5) in the first 16 minutes of the game.

  • Thunder bench playing well in the second quarter, giving Oklahoma City its first lead.

  • Durant gets a double-double in the first half with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Russell Westbrook is close with 12 points and eight assists.

  • Thunder hitting 56.4% in the first half and holding Philadelphia to 44.4%. The 76ers stay even in the half by hitting 58.3% (7-for-12) on three pointers.

  • Durant with 25 points through three quarters. Thunder hitting 54.8% after three. They lead the 76ers 34-24 in rebounds, a 12-8 advantage in offensive boards.

  • Durant with 32 points and Westbrook with 23 at the end of regulation.

  • Nick Collison has been in double figures three of the last four games. He had a double-double tonight with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
    “Nick (Collison), Serge (Ibaka) and Naz (Mohammed) were great in pick and roll coverage,” Brooks said. “and they had great nights rebounding the basketball.”

PLAYS THE BOX SCORE WON’T SHOW: Nice move by Thabo Sefolosha early in the second quarter forcing a turnover that James Harden turns into an easy basket. Thunder love to trigger the offense off a moves like that on defense...Eric Maynor with nice penetration into the lane, getting the defense to collapse in on him. That sets up Nick Collison for an open shot, Maynor gets it out to him at the top of the circle and Collison nails it...Collison with a couple of nice spin moves on Elton Brand to get a layup...Russell Westbrook leading the way on a fast break, gets to the free throw line as defenders collapse on him he elevates and fires a pass down low to Serge Ibaka who slams it home...Thunder have been good on the offensive boards, in the third quarter Nazr Mohammed corrals one then slams it home...Naz grabs five offensive rebounds in the third quarter. Collison with a great steal late in the quarter then Collison with a no-look pass out to Maynor to key the fast break...Durant gets a nice four-point play off the “rip” move, Philly fouls him on a three point shot, it goes in and then KD hits the free throw. It’s the second time Durant has used to move to get to the line...Collison with another nice screen for Durant in the fourth quarter and KD hits the jumper...Collison with a hug rebound to give Thunder possession with :12.4 left in the game and down by three...and KD hits a three ball off the left wing to tie the game. Durant started down low, faked a move to the lane and outran Iguodala to the arc...Ibaka forces Iguodala right into a stationary Westbrook who gets the charge call, his first of the season, great move by Ibaka to force that play...

STATS WORTH REPEATING: The Thunder defense holds the Sixers to just four points in the last nine minutes of the game, all in OT. Andre Iguodala was scoreless in the fourth quarter and overtime. Oklahoma City pulls down 16 offensive rebounds and 53 overall. Nazr Mohammed grabs five of those offensive boards and Nick Collison has four.

LAST WORD: “We played some different lineups tonight, sometimes with four guards and sometimes with two bigs,” said Thunder center Nick Collison, “and they both worked well. We’re finding different ways to compete and win games.”

UP NEXT: The Thunder will be home Friday night to host the Detroit Pistons inside Oklahoma City Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 PM on Fox Sports Oklahoma and the Thunder Radio Network.