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Durant, Thunder take on Hornets in Big Easy

Dec 10, 2010 - 4:14 PM (Sports Network) - The Oklahoma City Thunder will try for their fourth straight win over the New Orleans Hornets when the two Western Conference inhabitants clash this evening in the Big Easy.

Oklahoma City has won three in a row against the Hornets after losing the previous 10 encounters. It recently posted a 95-89 win on Nov. 29 at home, as Kevin Durant scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in that one. The Thunder ended an eight-game slide as the guest in this series with a win back on February 3, 2010 at New Orleans Arena.

The Thunder have alternated wins and losses through five games this month and are coming off Wednesday's 111-103 triumph against the Minnesota Timberwolves to improve to 1-1 on a three-game road swing. Durant was at it again with 30 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, and his talented sidekick Russell Westbrook delivered 25 points and eight assists for Oklahoma City, which bounced back from a 99-90 loss at Chicago on Monday.

"It was one of those games you can be proud of," said Thunder head coach Scott Brooks. "Everyone chipped in to win the game."

The Durant-Westbrook tandem is currently the highest scoring duo in the league, averaging 51.3 points per game. Thabo Sefolosha had 13 points and six rebounds, while Jeff Green and Serge Ibaka scored 10 points apiece in the win. After Friday's game on the bayou, the Thunder, who are 8-4 on the road, will return home for four games versus the Cavs, Rockets, Kings and Suns.

New Orleans won for just the third time in nine tries with Wednesday's 93-74 triumph over the Detroit Pistons.

David West scored 25 points, Marco Belinelli added a season-high 22 and Chris Paul registered six points, 14 assists and five steals for the Hornets, who shot 50 percent from the floor were playing their first home game since NBA commissioner David Stern announced the league has agreed to purchase the team from George Shinn and Gary Chouest.

"I wouldn't say it's a distraction. We've got to play ball, but it's naive to assume we're not aware of what's going on. It's part of the business, and we are part of that business," West told NBA.com. "We are aware of the business aspect of things. As much as people wouldn't like us to be, we are. We are very knowledgeable. We can put two and two together when it's necessary."

Emeka Okafor finished with 14 points and six boards for the victors. New Orleans will hit the road to Philadelphia and Miami following tonight's game in Louisiana.