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Thunder hope to halt skid against Pacers

Mar 2, 2011 - 3:53 PM (Sports Network) - The Northwest Division-leading Oklahoma City Thunder aim to put the brakes on a season-high three-game losing streak tonight, when they welcome the Indiana Pacers to the OKC.

The Thunder suffered a 90-87 home loss to the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Kevin Durant and James Harden both had chances to even the score with three-point attempts, but missed on both to lose for the fifth time in eight tries.

"We were fortunate to come away with that win," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Two shots like they had at the end of the game, (they were) good looks but we did the job in the second half defensively."

Russell Westbrook led Oklahoma City with 22 points, six assists and six rebounds, while Durant added 21 points for the Thunder, who got six points and a game-best 13 boards out of Serge Ibaka.

"That was a very intense basketball game," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "I thought we played physical and we matched their physical play.

Oklahoma City is 20-9 at home this season and sits fourth in the Western Conference standings. It also made news this week by signing newcomer Kendrick Perkins to a multi-year contract extension. Perkins was dealt from Boston to Oklahoma City as part of a four-player swap at last Thursday's trade deadline. He had played for only the Celtics during his entire eight-year NBA career.

Perkins has played in just 12 games this season after recovering from a knee injury suffered during the NBA Finals last June. He is averaging 7.3 points and 8.1 rebounds, and is expected to miss 2-3 weeks of action with a sprained left MCL.

Indiana will begin a three-game tour out west tonight against the Thunder, Mavericks and Rockets, and is 10-18 away from Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Pacers ended a two-game losing streak and completed a four-game homestand with Tuesday's 109-100 triumph over Golden State. Danny Granger had 27 points, Tyler Hansbrough added 14 and six rebounds off the bench and Roy Hibbert posted 12 points and nine boards for Indiana, which is 10-5 under interim head coach Frank Vogel.

"Great win for our team," Vogel said. "That's a win that falls with the identity we want for this team."

Vogel's club is currently eighth in the East -- one game ahead of Charlotte -- and rebounded from a last-second loss to Phoenix on Sunday in overtime.

Oklahoma City handed the Pacers a 110-106 overtime loss in Indy on Nov. 26, as Westbrook poured in 43 points in that one. Indiana has lost five of the past six meetings on the road in this series.