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Rockets and Thunder meet in Oklahoma City

Nov 17, 2010 - 4:09 PM (Sports Network) - The Houston Rockets have bullied the Oklahoma City/Seattle franchise for quite some time and look to continue that trend when they visit the Thunder tonight in the opener of a brief road trip.

The Rockets will also touch down in Toronto on Friday and are 2-4 away from home this season. They took three of four meetings with Oklahoma City a year ago and have won 20 of the last 23 contests in this series. The Rockets are also 10-2 in the previous 12 road matchups with the Thunder, who put the brakes on a 13-game slide to Houston with a win at home on March 24, 2010.

Houston is 3-2 since beginning the season with five straight losses and had a two-game winning streak stopped with Tuesday's 95-92 loss to the visiting Chicago Bulls. Chicago scored 18 unanswered points at one moment late in the game and got 33 points from Derrick Rose.

"[Rose] had an unbelievable stretch," said Rockets guard Kevin Martin, who scored 18 points in the loss. "You want him taking three-pointers and you've just got to live and die by it, and we died by it in the beginning of the fourth quarter. You get up on him, and he goes right by you. We were frustrated about that."

Luis Scola had 27 points and five rebounds, while Brad Miller had 21 points for Houston, which shot 47.9 percent from the floor. The Rockets have been playing without Yao Ming (ankle) and Aaron Brooks (ankle) due to injury.

Oklahoma City is back home after cooling off the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City with a 115-108 win on Monday night. Superstar Kevin Durant led the charge with 30 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Thunder, winners in four of their last six games.

Serge Ibaka recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook added 22 points to go with seven assists in the win. The Thunder have averaged 109.5 points and shot 49.8 percent from the floor in their previous four contests.

"We beat a very good team, a team that is playing their best basketball in the league right now. They are a tough team to play. They challenge you, and we came away with a great effort and came away with a win tonight," said Thunder head coach Scott Brooks.

Forward Jeff Green is questionable for tonight's game with a sprained left ankle and has missed four of the past five games.

The Thunder are 3-3 as the host this season.