Thunder roll over Blazers

OKLAHOMA CITY – Paul George had a 47-point triple-double, and Russell Westbrook set an NBA record for consecutive triple-doubles as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-111 on Monday night.

George’s 3-pointer with 3:52 to play came on the 10th assist by Westbrook, who clinched his 10th consecutive triple-double. Westbrook finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Wilt Chamberlain had nine consecutive triple-doubles in 1968.

George, who contributed 12 rebounds and 10 assists, has scored 92 points over the last two games.


The win was the fourth consecutive and 11th in 12 games for the Thunder.

Hampered by a strained left shoulder, James Harden nearly had his streak of consecutive 30-point games end before coming alive down the stretch as host Houston defeated Dallas 120-104.


Harden finished with a game-high 31 points on 9-for-23 shooting that went  with eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

The Rockets relied on a collective effort to build a lead against Dallas, with four others scoring in double figures, including guard Gerald Green, who poured in 19 points in 22 minutes off the bench. Luka Doncic posted 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to pace the Mavericks.

In Cleveland, New York saw its late comeback bid fall short at Cleveland and took its 17th straight defeat – the longest single-season losing streak in franchise history.     

Other results: Detroit 121, Washington 112; Indiana 99, Charlotte 90; Toronto 127, Brooklyn 125; Milwaukee 112, Chicago 99, Minnesota 130, LA Clippers 120; Denver 103, Miami 87.

source: philstar.com

All-Star Warriors roll past Thunder in festive NBA opener

OAKLAND, California – Stephen Curry is coming off an injury-plagued season and a summer he thought might be among his best yet.

On a festive night of celebration as another championship banner went up, Curry brought his usual flair and dazzle. Kevin Durant did all of the little things, too.

Curry had 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, Durant added 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and the Golden State Warriors opened their quest for a three-peat by holding off the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-100 on Tuesday night.

“I love who we are, game 1 of 82,” Durant said. “Just keep grinding.”

Golden State needed a strong fourth quarter after the two-time defending champions received their 2018 rings in a pregame ceremony shortly before tipoff and began the final season at Oracle Arena before a move across San Francisco Bay to new Chase Center. (Related story below)

“It’s a great move for the organization. We know that but this place is special, so we want to make sure this is a special season,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Klay Thompson shot just 5 of 20 for 14 points while center Damian Jones scored 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Warriors in his first career start and 26th game.

Kerr knows his players are still getting in shape and looked tired, saying: “We didn’t look much like ourselves. It’s not surprising either. We need a couple more weeks.”

Curry called it “an emotional night.”

source: philstar.com

Thunder's 'big three' powers Oklahoma past Houston

The Oklahoma City Thunder adopted a simple mantra for Saturday’s game (Sunday in Manila) against the Houston Rockets with their playoff fate still up in the air.

“We just better not lose,” Paul George said.

For one night at least, it worked.

George and Russell Westbrook each scored 24 points, and Oklahoma City snapped Houston’s 20-game home winning streak with a 108-102 victory.

The Thunder were down one with about seven minutes left before scoring the next 11 points.

Oklahoma City (46-34) is tied with San Antonio and New Orleans for fifth in the loaded Western Conference, a half-game behind idle Utah. The Thunder can clinch a playoff spot with a victory at Miami on Monday.

“This game was important but the Monday game is just as important as this game because if we don’t take care of business Monday then this game doesn’t really mean anything,” said Carmelo Anthony, who had 22 points.

The Thunder took two of three in the season series against the NBA-best Rockets.

James Harden had 26 points for Houston, and Chris Paul added 17.

“I thought we tasted the playoff atmosphere because these guys are fighting for their lives and we’re not,” Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It’s human nature, there’s no reward in winning.”

Paul hit a step-back jumper and Gerald Green scored to give the Rockets a 92-91 lead with 7:09 left. But Westbrook scored five quick points to start an 11-0 run by Oklahoma City that made it 102-92 with about four minutes remaining.
Houston went scoreless for more than four minutes, missing seven shots and committing three turnovers as Oklahoma City pulled away. The Thunder also blocked three shots in that span.

“Just doing what you’ve got to do to win, honestly,” Westbrook said.

The Rockets scored five straight points with less than a minute left to get within five, but George made two free throws to help secure the win.

Anthony made three of the Thunder’s 10 3-pointers. He said it was important for them to be in attack mode right from the start.

“It was one of those days, understanding the situation that we’re in and just trying to be aggressive out there on both ends and go after it from the beginning,” he said.

The Thunder led by as many as 11 in the first half, but Houston used a 5-1 spurt take a 62-61 lead at halftime.

source: philstar.com

Thunder down Pelicans, Bucks beat Wizards as NBA heads into All-Star break

The Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into the NBA’s All-Star break with a 121-95 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, aided by 23 points apiece from Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.

On what was an emotional night, Westbrook was one rebound shy of his ninth triple double of the season as he collected 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Durant connected on 10 of 17 from the field and also handed out six assists as Oklahoma City improved to 40-14.

The Thunder are one of three Western Conference teams heading into the All-Star break with at least 40 wins, behind the Golden State Warriors (48-4) and San Antonio Spurs (45-8).

According to Elias Sports, the statistics expert, that’s a first for any conference in NBA history.

“I think we are great, man,” Westbrook said of the Thunder’s position. “Forty wins, I like where we are. Looking to come back in the second half of the season and turn it up a notch.”

Center Anthony Davis scored 23 points to lead the Pelicans, but was limited to three rebounds and no blocked shots.

Guard Jrue Holiday came off the bench to score 23 points and six assists as the Pelicans, ravaged by injury this season, fell to 20-33.

The contest had a somber note, despite the approach of the weekend of festivities built around Sunday’s All-Star game in Toronto.

Ingrid Williams, wife of Oklahoma City assistant coach and former New Orleans head coach Monty Williams, died in a road accident on Tuesday and the news hit both teams hard.

“I thought about what I was going to say, but I just love coach Monty so much,” Durant said. “I feel for him. And it’s somebody we all love, I just don’t understand.”

Davis was one of the Pelicans players who remembered Ingrid Williams as being like a second mother when her husband coached them.

“It was tough, but you have to still go out there and compete,” Davis said. “That’s what we tried to do tonight.”

Bucks down Wizards

In Milwaukee, Khris Middleton scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter as the Bucks defeated the Washington Wizards 99-92.

Forwards Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 17 points each for the Bucks, and center Greg Monroe chipped in 12 points and nine rebounds.

Five Washington players scored in double figures, led by the 19 points of guard Bradley Beal.

John Wall added 15 for Washington while Otto Porter, Marcin Gortat and Nene scored 14 points apiece.

Mudiay, Booker get skills nod

Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker were named as substitutes for two of the All-Star Game warm-up events.

Mudiay will replace injured defending champion Patrick Beverley in the Skills Challenge that tests dribbling, passing, shooting and agility on an obstacle course.

Beverley will miss the Saturday competition with an ankle injury.

Booker replaces injured Nerlens Noel of the Philadelphia 76ers in Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge, which features first- and second-year players from the United States against overseas players in their rookie and sophomore seasons.

source: interaksyon.com

Spurs destroy Thunder by 35 points to take 2-0 series lead

SAN ANTONIO — They come at opponents in waves, future Hall of Famers and adept role players comprising the NBA’s deepest roster.

Guard Tony Parker, one of the stars, scored 22 points Wednesday. Guard Danny Green, part of the supporting cast, made seven 3-point baskets and scored 21. Thanks in part to the duo’s contributions, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-77 Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

San Antonio earned its seventh win in eight games. In this one, the Spurs outshot the Thunder 50 percent to 39.3 percent from the field and had a 21-5 edge in free throws made.

Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant and guard Russell Westbrook were limited to 15 point apiece, converting just 13 of 40 shots between them. Their 30 points together were 26.6 fewer than they were averaging during the playoffs.

“Whenever great players have nights like that, it’s never one thing,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I’m sure at times we guarded them well, and I’m sure at times they had open shots that they didn’t make.”

The Spurs, leading by 14 at halftime, outscored the Thunder 33-18 in the third quarter. San Antonio converted 12 of 16 shots in the process.

“I don’t think anybody on our team played well, including myself,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said.

Oklahoma City is playing without injured shot-blocking forward Serge Ibaka, who has a strained calf and will miss the rest of the playoffs, according to Brooks.

The Spurs took advantage by scoring 54 points in the paint. They pummeled the Thunder with Green’s 3-point baskets. He needed only 10 attempts to make his seven 3-pointers.

Green also spent more time guarding Durant than he normally would because Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard was in foul trouble during the first half, playing just nine minutes.

Parker and Green had sufficient help even without much of a presence from Leonard. Forward Tim Duncan contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds. Center Tiago Splitter grabbed 10 rebounds, scored nine points and blocked three shots.

San Antonio made an 11-2 push during the final 2:18 of the first half to take a 58-44 lead.

The Spurs made three 3-point baskets during the run, two by Green, the other by guard Manu Ginobili.

Green hit four 3-pointers in the half. On one, Ginobili made one of those passes that only he seems to make, flinging the ball from the left corner across the baseline to the right corner.

Ginobili’s 3-pointer came from 27 feet after he secured an offensive rebound.

Oklahoma City contributed to San Antonio’s strong first-half finish by committing three turnovers during the final 1:31.

Parker produced 14 points and five assists in the half. Durant and Westbrook scored 11 each before the break, but they combined to make just nine of 26 shots.

“We had a really good quarter going, actually a good half,” Brooks said. “Then they hit three 3s, we turned it over three times and we took a couple of tough shots. We didn’t do a good job of responding after that run.”

San Antonio won Game 1 by 17 points. Now this. Durant, after two blowout defeats, said, “It’s hard to stay together. We have to figure it out.”

The series moves to Oklahoma City for Game 3 on Sunday and Game 4 on Tuesday. Parker suggested that the Spurs have not accomplished much yet, recalling that they went to Oklahoma City with a 2-0 lead in the 2012 Western Conference finals and lost four straight, including one in San Antonio.

“We just did our job (Wednesday),” Parker said. “We won our first two games at home. Nobody is very happy in the locker room.”

NOTES: Thunder F Nick Collison went scoreless Monday in Game 1 in his first start of the season, missing three shots in 15:32 of playing time. But coach Scott Brooks left Collison in the starting lineup on Wednesday as the replacement for injured F Serge Ibaka. Collison produced two points and two rebounds in 13 minutes during Game 2. … Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said F Boris Diaw was fine after getting poked in the right eye by Thunder C Steven Adams in the first half of Game 1. Diaw scored 11 points in Game 2. … The Spurs had the best record in the NBA this season, earning home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, despite F Kawhi Leonard missing 16 games and guards Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green sitting out 14 apiece. … Collison made a 12-foot shot in the first half by batting a pass from Derek Fisher into the basket. With one-10th of a second left on the shot clock, there was no time to catch the pass and get a shot off.

source: interaksyon.com

Pacers outduel Thunder, near top seed in Eastern Conference

INDIANAPOLIS – Lance Stephenson finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as Indiana beat Oklahoma City 102-97 to move a step closer to clinching home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Paul George hit the go-ahead three-pointer with just over two minutes left for the Pacers who climbed a half-game ahead of Miami, which was idle Sunday, for the top seed in the East.

“We’ve been steadily improving,” Indiana’s David West said. “We have to keep our focus and start the playoffs strong.”

The Pacers, who lost at Miami on Friday, finished with the NBA’s best home mark at 35-6 and will complete the regular season Wednesday at Orlando.

The Heat play in Washington on Monday and host Philadelphia on Wednesday, but it’s Indiana who own the tiebreaker and control their own destiny.

Stephenson posted his NBA-leading fifth triple-double of the year. George tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds, while West scored 21 as the Pacers won for just the third time in nine games.

Kevin Durant scored 38 while Russell Westbrook added 21 points, nine boards and seven assists for Oklahoma City, which had a three-game winning streak halted. Durant was just two-of-11 from three-point range.

“We gave up too many points,” Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said.

The Thunder will play at New Orleans Monday and host Detroit Wednesday to cap the regular season.

Oklahoma City is two games ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers for the number two seed.

The Pacers led by as many as eight in the second and held a 47-45 edge at halftime.

George scored 10 in the third to help Indiana to a 74-66 lead heading into the fourth. The Pacers were up as many as 11 early in the fourth quarter.

source: interaksyon.com

Kevin Durant stars as Thunder snap Grizzlies’ six-game streak

Thunder 86, Grizzlies 77: Kevin Durant collected 31 points, eight assists and eight rebounds as host Oklahoma City ended Memphis' six-game winning streak.

Serge Ibaka added 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting and 12 rebounds for the Thunder, who have won 11 of their last 12 games. Durant went 11-of-21 from the field to get back to the 30-point plateau after missing the mark in back-to-back games.

Marc Gasol scored 13 points and Zach Randolph recorded 13 points and 13 boards to lead the Grizzlies. Courtney Lee added 11 points but Nick Calathes slumped to eight on 4-of-11 shooting in his second start in place of injured point guard Mike Conley (ankle).

Lee's basket with 4:54 left pulled Memphis within 78-75 before Durant scored four points in a 7-0 burst to push the lead back to double figures. The Grizzlies managed one field goal the rest of the way and turned it over four times in the final three minutes to help Oklahoma City put it away.

Memphis went without a field goal over the final 6:25 of the second quarter as Durant led a 20-4 run to send the Thunder into the break with a 51-36 lead. The Grizzlies found their rhythm again early in the third quarter and chopped the deficit to 62-57 before four points from Durant in the final minute helped give Oklahoma City a 69-61 lead heading into the fourth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The teams combined to go 6-of-34 from 3-point range, with Durant struggling to 2-of-7 from beyond the arc.  Memphis held its 11th straight opponent under 100 points – a string that began with a 90-87 triumph over Oklahoma City on Jan. 14.  Thunder reserve C Steven Adams had four of the team's nine blocked shots.

source: interaksyon.com

Amid Durant vs LeBron hype, Thunder cruise to easy victory over Heat

MIAMI — The individual matchup between the NBA’s top two candidates for MVP did not disappoint.

But the battle between the reigning two-time NBA champion Miami Heat and the top team in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, turned out to be a bit of a dud, especially in the final 42 minutes.

The Thunder overcame an 18-point first-quarter deficit to drill the Heat 112-95 on Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Over those final 42 minutes, the Thunder outscored the Heat 108-73.

“There’s no running away from it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Other than the first (six) minutes of the game, they outclassed us.

“Our guys were up and ready for this game. (The Thunder) were up and ready, and they played better than us.”

In the matchup of superstars, Heat forward LeBron James, a four-time league MVP, had 34 points on 12-of-20 shooting. But he did not play his usual stellar floor game — just three rebounds, three assists and three turnovers. He was 9 of 9 on the foul line but just 1 of 5 on 3-pointers.

Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, a three-time NBA scoring champ, had 33 points, seven rebounds and five assists with four turnovers. He was 5 of 5 from the foul line and 4 of 9 on 3-pointers.

“We were down 22-4, and we could have easily folded up, especially on the road,” Durant said. “It could be my last game any time I step on the floor, so I have to give it my all.”

Durant enjoyed his 12th consecutive game with 30 or more points. His streak is the third longest in the NBA in the past 30 years, trailing only runs by Kobe Bryant (16) and Tracy McGrady (14).

“(James and Durant) are going to go down as two of the greatest players ever to play the game,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “Defensively, they are solid. Offensively, they are amazing.

“They were challenging each other. It would’ve been fun to clear the court and watch them play one on one. But the thing I love is that they are both team guys.”

Forward Serge Ibaka scored 22 points to help Oklahoma City (37-10) extend its winning streak to nine games. The Thunder also got major contributions from reserve guards Jeremy Lamb (18 points) and Derek Fisher (15 points). Fisher made all five of his 3-point attempts.

“Our effort was great — it was a good team win,” Brooks said. “I thought Fisher did a great job inspiring us when we got down. He made a couple of big threes, and everyone chipped in.”

Miami (32-13) lost at home for just the fourth time in 23 games this season. Forward Chris Bosh added 18 points for the Heat, guard Dwyane Wade scored 15.

Oklahoma City won the game largely due to 3-point shooting. The Thunder made 16 of 27 from beyond the arc (59.3 percent), while the Heat made just 3 of 19 (15.8 percent).

After the Heat got off to their hot start, the Thunder got back in the game with a 12-0 run.

By the end of the first, the Heat led 30-21. Bosh had 11 of Miami’s first 22 points, and the Heat outshot the Thunder 55 percent to 36 percent in the period.

The Thunder won the second quarter 34-20 and led 55-50 at halftime. The Thunder outshot the Heat 52 percent to 42 percent in the quarter. Bosh cooled off in the second quarter — only one point — and Lamb heated up with 13 points.

“(The Heat) doubled off the pick and roll,” Lamb said. “We swung the ball to find the open shots.”

At the half, Durant (16 points) and James (15) virtually negated each other.

The Thunder outscored the Heat 36-25 in the third quarter and headed into the fourth leading 91-75. Fisher closed the quarter by banking in a 3-pointer at the buzzer. It was the second 3-pointer Fisher made off the glass in the game.

The Durant vs. James duel heated up in the third quarter as each scored 12 points. Durant made 4 of 7 shots, including two 3-pointers, and James made 5 of 7.

“He made some great shots,” Spoelstra said of Durant. “Those are the shots that everyone will remember. From our standpoint, we will remember some of the close-outs we didn’t make to give Lamb and Fisher some open threes.”

NOTES: After Sunday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs in which he came off the bench for the first time in eight years, Heat G Dwyane Wade returned to the starting lineup Wednesday. Wade was used as a reserve Sunday because he missed four games due to knee soreness and wanted to work his way back into fitness. … Since the Thunder clinched the best record in the West by the Feb. 2 cut-off date, Scott Brooks will coach the conference’s team at the All-Star Game. He also coached the West in 2012. … Thunder F Kevin Durant was averaging 28.2 points when G Russell Westbrook was healthy. In the first 17 games since Westbrook got hurt, Durant averaged 36.5 points. His shot total went up from 18 to 22 per game. … Next up for the Heat is a Saturday night game at the New York Knicks, where the teams will be part of the pre-Super Bowl hoopla. … The Thunder will also be in New York this weekend, playing the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

source: interaksyon.com

Kevin Durant scores 41, hits game-winning shot to lift Thunder past Hawks

OKLAHOMA CITY — NBA games in late January are supposed to be tedious. With the All-Star break around the corner, many players and teams don’t put much stock into them.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant is not one of them. On a night he described as emotional, the MVP candidate scored 41 points and hit the game-winning shot in a 111-109 comeback victory over the Atlanta Hawks Monday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

“I’m just trying to inspire the team by my play,” Durant said. “Just playing hard. Being emotional, hopefully it helps. Sometimes it may not. I got to take that risk. Take that chance. That’s how I am on the court. I’m an emotional player. I know we play a lot of games. A lot of people say January don’t mean anything. But when you are playing this game with your heart and passion like we do, sometimes you have to sit back and just enjoy it.”

With 2:34 left on the clock, Durant went to the foul line and hit one of two to close Atlanta’s (23-21) lead down to 107-105. Hawks forward Paul Millsap missed a jumper and Durant made him pay with a contested layup to tie the game.

Millsap tried to post up guard Reggie Jackson but Durant came from behind with the blocked shot.

After another loose-ball scramble, the Hawks got a wide-open 3-point attempt that was off. But Millsap got the rebound. However, a few seconds later, Millsap was called for traveling and Oklahoma City (36-10) got the ball back with 34 seconds on the clock.

Coming out of a timeout, guard Derek Fisher got the ball to Durant. With Atlanta forward DeMarre Carroll guarding him, Durant hit a step-back jumper to put the Thunder up 109-107 with 25 seconds left.

Millsap answered right back when he drove into the lane and flipped a left-handed shot over guard Thabo Sefolosha. With 22 seconds left, the Thunder took over. Durant got the ball with seven seconds remaining at the top of the key and quickly recognized the “San Antonio umbrella defense” as the Hawks sent a double-team at him. He drove the other way and knocked down a 15-foot jumper with 1.5 seconds left.

“I was going to pass it, then I saw I was in my spot and I just had to pull up,” Durant said.

Atlanta was unable to get a shot off in the final seconds. Along with Durant’s 41 points (15-for-25), he collected five assists and three blocked shots. He also extended his scoring streak to 11 games with at least 30 points.

Jackson added 18 points and five assists. Forward Serge Ibaka had six blocked shots and nine points.

The Hawks had seven players score in double figures. Millsap led with 23 points on 9-for-19 shooting. Guard Shelvin Mack and Carroll each posted 15 points. Forward Mike Scott came off the bench to score 16 points.

“Losing is very hard in this league and our guys are hurting,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. “You have to give Oklahoma City a lot of credit. It was a heck of a fourth quarter and a heck of a basketball game. They made a couple of more plays than we did.”

The Hawks bullied the Thunder on the offensive backboards. Even though they only had a 15-10 advantage, they led in 31-15 in second-chance points.

But that wasn’t enough to offset Durant’s clutch fourth quarter, which has become the norm for the league’s leading scorer.

“It was an emotional game,” Durant said. “I was up and down the whole game. My emotions were everywhere. So I just had to try and keep it together at the end of the game and come through for my team. By the grace of God, I was able to hit a few shots.”

NOTES: For the second week in a row and the fourth time this season, Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant was named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging 38.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists for games played Jan. 20 through Jan. 26. Durant was joined on the court by the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Atlanta F Paul Millsap. He led the Hawks to a 3-1 record while posting 21.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals. “I think that’s a huge compliment to him,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Obviously he’s been great for us all year. To get that recognition is something that is good for him and good for our group.” … Atlanta G Kyle Korver hit a 3-pointer to start the game. It extended his streak to 113 consecutive games with a 3-pointer. … Oklahoma City continued its tradition of honoring the military with the sixth annual Military Appreciation Night Monday. More than 1,000 military personnel were in attendance for the game against Atlanta. “I think it’s great,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. “It’s very cool to see. Our season ticket holders are very generous to give up a lot of their tickets for tonight. It’s an honor for us to have them here. I wouldn’t be surprised one day in the future if all 19,000 of our season ticket holders give it up for a game.”

source: interaksyon.com

Thunder sweep season series against Clippers

LOS ANGELES – The Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff push gathered steam on Sunday with a 108-104 NBA victory over the Los Angeles Clippers behind a 35-point performance from Kevin Durant.

Russell Westbrook finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists for the Thunder, who swept the season series against the Clippers.

Forward Serge Ibaka had a strong game for the Thunder as he manhandled Clippers star Blake Griffin several times under the basket and finished with 16 points and two blocks in front of a crowd of 19,371.

Ibaka took his aggressive play too far at one point and was nearly ejected after he delivered a hard slap to Griffin’s groin late in the game, a move which earned him a foul.

The Clippers were the hotter of the teams heading into Sunday’s crucial matchup as they had won four in a row and eight of their last nine.

But Westbrook’s baseline jumper with 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave Oklahoma City some much needed breathing room in a contest that was close to the final buzzer.

“I expect our guys to be able to fight and get us back in the game,” said Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. “We were more aggressive in the second half but turnovers and free throws were the difference.

“We had our opportunities but we didn’t convert down the stretch.”

The second place Thunder improved to 43-16 on the season and now lead the third place Clippers (43-19) by one and a half games in the Western Conference standings.

Chris Paul had 26 points, eight assists and pulled down six rebounds, Griffin had 20 points and nine rebounds and Jamal Crawford scored 20 in the loss.

The Thunder completed a season sweep over the Clippers that included winning 117-111 in over-time on November 21 in Oklahoma City and by 12 points on January 22 in Los Angeles.

source: interaksyon.com

Miami Heat’s Big Three cruise to NBA title, sights set on more

MIAMI—For the Miami Heat, No. 1 is in the books. What’s got to be scary for the rest of the NBA is that, on Thursday night, the Heat showed just what they’re capable of accomplishing from here.

In Game 5, the Heat played a nearly flawless game on both ends of the floor, dismantling the pesky Oklahoma City Thunder with a 121-106 drubbing for their fourth straight win in this Finals series, and the Larry O’Brien trophy that comes along with it.

The numbers are jaw-dropping: Miami shot 51.9 percent from the floor, had 25 assists on 40 field goals, made 53.8 percent of their 3-pointers, held Oklahoma City to 41.4 percent shooting and led by as many as 27 points. That’s a far cry from the slog of the first four games, when, despite their series lead, the Heat outscored the Thunder by five total points.

In Game 5, we saw the Heat in full—blitzing the Thunder on the defensive end and picking them apart offensively. That started with series MVP LeBron James, who was as impressive mentally as he was physically, racking up a triple double of 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.

For the second game in a row, James was brilliant in reading the Thunder defense, and when opportunities to drive to the basket arose, James took advantage, scoring all of his points in the paint or at the free-throw line. When Oklahoma City overcommitted to stopping James, he ably swung the ball to his teammates, piling up assists.

Chris Bosh (24 points, seven rebounds) and Dwyane Wade (20 points, eight rebounds) filled their roles as James’ top support men. And James clearly did the one thing a star player is supposed to do—make those around him better. All the defensive attention paid to James allowed so many open looks for the Heat’s perimeter shooters, and Mike Miller wound up with 23 points on seven 3-pointers, with Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier adding multiple 3s, too.

They’re not going to develop into a 121-point-per-night team. But when the Heat were constructed, this was exactly the kind of performance that they seemed capable of producing regularly, even against the second-best team in the NBA.

“We never thought of it as the Big Three,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That was the theme outside. But we knew other guys would have to contribute. This was a perfect example tonight. Everybody stepped up, Shane (Battier), Norris Cole, Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller, the list goes on, Udonis Haslem. Everybody had to sacrifice something, but the guys who had an opportunity to choose to come here, they sacrificed something, either pay, minutes, shots, opportunities that they would get with some other team. That just doesn’t happen in today’s game very often. And that's why this is a special group.”

We didn’t see this in the conference semifinals against Indiana, at least not until the Heat adjusted to playing without Bosh after he injured his abdominal muscle in the opening game of the series. We didn’t see it against Boston, a series that went seven games and required back-against-the-wall wins in the final two games. In that series, not only did the Celtics have the veteran capability of mucking up the Heat’s works, but Miami had the added challenge of Bosh returning in Game 5, and figuring out how he could contribute off the bench. Even in the opening game of this series, the one game the Heat lost, Bosh was not in the starting lineup.

That leaves this reality, a stark one for other teams in the league: In games in which James, Wade and Bosh started in these playoffs, the Heat were 9-1.

It only figures to get easier for Miami, with the pressure of not having won a title being lifted, with the often irrational questioning of James’ ability to finish games falling by the wayside, with speculation about the job security of the youthful Spoelstra evaporating. When Michael Jordan’s Bulls first broke through with a championship in 1991, he went on to lead the team to six in a row (excluding his two retirement years).

As Lakers great Magic Johnson said before Game 5, “I think everything changes (after getting a first title). We saw that with Michael. ... We’re judged by championships, and I think LeBron will be bigger around the world with a championship. I think all the naysayers go away, and I think it's only going to make him better. Michael got better after his first championship, and I think the same thing happens for LeBron.”

There does not appear to be a team in the Eastern Conference that has a realistic chance to keep Miami from the Finals. The Thunder likely will be back in the championship round in the future, and they figure to see the Heat often. The knee injury suffered by the Bulls' Derrick Rose will keep him out for much of next season, and it could take him some time to get back to pre-injury form. The Celtics have been a worthy foe for the Heat over the last two years, but Boston will retool this summer. Indiana is a solid young team, but the Pacers are still at least a player away from being championship-caliber. Perhaps a new powerhouse can sprout up (a pairing of Deron Williams and Dwight Howard in Brooklyn, for example), but as the East stands now, Miami is clearly on its own tier.

That’s what the architect of this group, team president Pat Riley, had in mind as he was receiving the championship trophy. “We believe that we built a team that will be around for a while,” Riley said. "Our goal is to hopefully come back every year. It’s always started out as an upstart, you become a team, you become a winner, you become a contender, then one day you might be something special, and that’s what we’re shooting for.”

They were shooting for a championship, and they got one. There could well be more to follow.

article source: aol.sportingnews.com

NBA: Heat take 3-1 Finals lead

The Miami Heat moved within one win of claiming the NBA title after getting a rousing performance from unheralded guard Mario Chalmers to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-98 on Tuesday (Wednesday, PHL time) for a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

The Heat, which lost last year's championship in six games to the Dallas Mavericks, closed in on the title by playing with a fierce determination that extended beyond their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

"We're focused. We're thinking about Game Five right now," said Bosh, all business after the exciting victory on their home court.

Stalwarts James and Wade made crucial plays down the stretch, but it was Chalmers who supplied the steady firepower that enabled the Heat to hold off the Thunder, who got a sensational effort from Russell Westbrook, who scored 43 points.

"I just try to step up," said Chalmers, who shot 9-of-15 from the floor including 4-of-5 in the fourth quarter. "I've always been a person to try to step up in big moments, and what bigger moment besides tonight and Thursday to step up."

James, after going to the bench late in the fourth quarter with cramping in his legs, returned to hit a key three-pointer that snapped a 94-94 tie and Wade followed with a bold drive to the hoop to put Miami five points ahead.

Lifting the Heat all through the fourth quarter was Chalmers, who scored 12 of his 25 points in the last period.

"Mario Chalmers is a winner, he's shown it his whole life," said Wade, who also had 25 points, one fewer than James, who watched the last minute from the bench nursing his aching legs.

"Coach said earlier, 'keep believing in Mario because he's due, he's due for a big game,' and he came through for us."

Costly error

Russell Westbrook single handedly kept the Thunder in the game and finished with 43 points, but made a costly error in the final seconds that denied the Thunder a chance to tie the game.

With 17.3 seconds left and the Heat leading 101-98 with the shot clock set at five seconds for Miami, there was a jump ball called between Udonis Haslem and James Harden.

The tip bounded toward the corner. Instead of allowing Chalmers to gather it and heave a desperation shot to beat the shot-clock, Westbrook fouled him thinking he had to put him on the line to give the Thunder a chance.

Chalmers sank two free throws that effectively clinched the victory for Miami, now one win away from the title with Game Five on their home court on Thursday.

"It was just a miscommunication on my part," said Westbrook, who early in the fourth quarter made all 13 Oklahoma City points during a stretch in which they rallied back from a seven-point deficit to tie the game 90-90.

Thunder coach Scott Brooks admitted there was confusion over the play at the end, but would not pin the loss on Westbrook's costly foul.

"It was a tough play. Could have been a communication thing," said Brooks, who did not huddle the team up to make sure the shot-clock situation was understood.

"I tell our guys, one play does not determine the outcome of a game. There's 200 plays involved in every basketball game, it doesn't come down to one play."

Oklahoma City raced out to a big first-quarter lead and then withstood a Heat comeback to hold a 49-46 lead at halftime.

The Thunder, who suffered from cold starts in the first three games of the series, claimed a 33-19 lead at the end of the first quarter, scoring from inside and out and taking advantage of some poor shooting by the Heat.

But Miami scored the first 13 points of the second quarter to get back into it at 33-32 less than four minutes into the period and waged a tug of war battle right up to intermission.

The Heat kept the pressure up on the Thunder in the third quarter and entered the pressure-packed final stanza with a 79-75 lead. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

NBA: Thunder roll late, snatch game one from the Heat

OKLAHOMA CITY - Kevin Durant won the opening round of his highly anticipated duel with LeBron James, scoring 36 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 105-94 victory over the Miami Heat in the opening game of the NBA Finals on Tuesday (Wednesday, PHL time).

The NBA scoring champion hit 12-of-20 shots and added eight rebounds to help the Western Conference champions outscore the Heat by 18 points in the second half to draw first blood in the best-of-seven series.

"You know, this is a tough series," said Durant, whose 17 fourth-quarter points slammed the door shut on Miami.

"This level of basketball is the hardest we play, and we just want to take it slow and take it a possession at a time.

"Guys got to just continue to believe in themselves. If we do that as a group, we'll be all right. It took us a couple minutes to get the nervousness out of us."

James, a three-time MVP, scored 30 points on 11-of-24 shooting, while adding nine rebounds, but it was Durant who triggered the Thunder's turnaround.

"They didn't make many mistakes in the fourth quarter," James said of the Thunder's 31-21 advantage in the final period. "I don't think we made many mistakes in the fourth quarter, it's just they made more plays, especially offensively.

"They made more shots. Russell [Westbrook] made some big-time shots, KD [Durant] made some big-time shots. So I think that's what it's about."

Durant's tussle with James is widely regarded as a barometer for determining the league's best player, with both also seeking a first championship.

Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, while adding eight rebounds and 11 assists overall. The only other player scoring in double figures for Oklahoma City was forward Serge Ibaka, who netted 10.

"He's a terrific player. We want him to score," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said of Westbrook. "When he gets to those spots that he can knock those shots down, those are great shots for him.

"Defensively he was solid. When you guard [Dwyane] Wade or LeBron, you have to really exert a lot of effort defensively, and he did that. And he also had enough to finish around the basket."

Miami led by as many as 13 in the opening half but fell apart in the third quarter, and when Westbrook made a three-point play late in the closing seconds to give the Thunder their first lead at 74-73, the Chesapeake Energy Arena erupted.

"They got out in transition and that's their bread and butter, especially here at home," said Heat forward Shane Battier, who scored 17 points but only four in the second half.

"They run so well. For a while we contained them. Second half we made too many careless turnovers."

Game Two is also in Oklahoma City on Thursday (Friday, PHL time) before the series shifts to Miami for the next two contests.

"This one is behind us now," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "About halfway through the fourth quarter, we were thinking we were putting ourselves in a position to win.

"And then they just went away. That's what they do, they keep on coming. They're relentless. They beat us at their game and beat us in a game that's very similar to us when we're playing well."

Wade conceded the Thunder "did a great job of turning up defensive pressure" in the second half.

"They just made more plays than us," said Wade, an eight-time All-Star who had 19 points. "They got a couple offensive rebounds that kind of hurt us. They got a couple open shots.

"And then from that point, we were kind of playing behind." - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

San Antonio Spurs handle Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of West Finals

SAN ANTONIO – Entering the Western Conference Finals, the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder shared one definitive characteristic—they were playing like offensive juggernauts throughout the season and beyond. The Spurs were the second-ranked offense in the NBA this year, and came into this series on an 18-game winning streak during which they averaged 109.3 points per game. Oklahoma City had the third-ranked offense and was averaging 100.0 points per game in the playoffs.

But if you were looking for an offensive explosion here in Game 1, you were disappointed. It was defense that ruled the day, for the first 36 minutes, at least—the two teams shot 40.3 percent combined through three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, though, San Antonio’s offense was able to pull away from the Thunder, paving the way to a 101-98 win here at the AT&T Center.

For the Spurs, Manu Ginobili led the way with 26 points (11 in fourth quarter) on 9-for-14 shooting. Tim Duncan had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Tony Parker scored 18. The Spurs yielded 27 points to Kevin Durant, but forced Oklahoma City’s other two top scorers, Russell Westbrook (17 points, 7-for-21 shooting) and James Harden (19, 7-for-17), into inefficient games. Each had four turnovers, too,

In the first half, the two teams were clearly feeling each other out, each going on mini-spurts but failing to establish any significant advantage—there were six lead changes, three ties and neither team led by more than six. The most notable feature of the first 24 minutes was the play of the oldest guys on the floor.

For the Thunder, 37-year-old Derek Fisher started 4-for-4 and had nine first-half points (he would finish with 13 on 6-for-8 shooting). For the Spurs, Duncan, 36, had six points and five rebounds, and 34-year-old Ginobili led his team with 10.

Oklahoma City seemed to take control of the game in the third quarter, holding the Spurs to just 16 points in the period on 6-for-24 shooting, surging to a 71-62 lead. But after Harden put Oklahoma City up, 73-64, with 11:18 to go in the fourth, the Spurs began to shift the momentum, driven in part by the raucous home crowd. They went on an 18-3 run over the next 6:13, capped by a 3-pointer from Gary Neal , that staked the Spurs to an 82-76 lead.

The Thunder kept hanging in, though, until guard Stephen Jackson all but sealed the win with a 3-pointer that put the Spurs up by seven with 3:02 to play. San Antonio fended off Oklahoma City from there.

The Spurs outscored the Thunder, 39-27, in the fourth quarter, shooting 12-for-16 from the field and 13-for-18 from the free-throw line.

source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-05-27/spurs-okc-thunder-game-1-score-derek-fisher-manu-ginobili-kevin-durant