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Thunder, Magic clash at Amway Center

Feb 25, 2011 - 4:29 PM (Sports Network) - The Northwest Division-leading Oklahoma City Thunder resume a brief but very tough two-game road trip in central Florida Friday when they face off with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.

The Thunder dropped the opener of the trek in San Antonio on Wednesday when Tony Parker scored 20 points, Gary Neal had 19 and the NBA-leading Spurs escaped with a 109-105 victory.

Kevin Durant led all players with 30 points, but didn't get a chance to shoot a potential game-tying three-pointer when teammate Jeff Green pulled the trigger early in the final seconds.

Russell Westbrook added 25 points as the Thunder had a two-game winning streak snapped but still leads the Northwest this late in a season for the first time since winning it as the Seattle SuperSonics in 2005.

"We knew we were playing the best team in basketball and we had to play with great effort and we did," said Thunder head coach Scott Brooks. "We came back in the second half much better. I thought the first half we played hard, we just made a lot of mental mistakes."

Oklahoma City was busy Thursday at the trade deadline, swinging a significant deal with Boston by sending Green and center Nenad Krstic to Beantown for big man Kendrick Perkins and reserve guard Nate Robinson. The Celtics also received a future first-round pick of the Los Angeles Clippers in the deal, reported to be for the 2012 draft.

Perkins, an eight-year veteran, has played in only 12 games for Boston this season after suffering a right knee injury in the NBA Finals last June. He also injured his left knee in the Celtics' win over the Warriors on Tuesday and is expected to miss at least a week of action but will eventually bring a defensive presence and the type of toughness to the pivot that has been lacking in Oklahoma City.

Robinson, meanwhile, played 55 games for the Celtics this year, starting 11, and averaged 7.1 points and 1.9 assists. The six-year pro, who was acquired by Boston at last year's trade deadline, brings an instant offense mentality off the bench.

Oklahoma City also made another lesser deal acquiring center Nazr Mohammed from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for forward D.J. White and guard Morris Peterson.

Orlando was quiet at the deadline after making a significant move earlier in the season and is currently in the midst of a seven-game homestand.

The Magic fell to 2-2 on the residency Wednesday when Jermaine Taylor dropped in a career-high 21 points to lead lowly Sacramento to an unlikely 111-105 victory.

Howard put up 31 points and 17 rebounds for Orlando, which had won four of five overall entering the All-Star break but shot just 8-of-28 from three- point range on Wednesday.

"I'm not happy with anything other than Dwight right now," said Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy. "I'm just not happy with anything. Everything I look at on here, on the stat sheet, is just not good."

Oklahoma City has lost six consecutive visits to the Magic Kingdom and hasn't won in central Florida since March 13, 2004 when they were the Sonics.