Final
Durant leads Thunder into Golden State
Feb 7, 2012 - 3:38 PM (Sports Network) - There are only two teams Kevin Durant is averaging 30-plus points against in his career and the Golden State Warriors are one of them. Durant and the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder will resume a five-game road trip tonight against those Warriors at ORACLE Arena.Durant is averaging 31.3 points per game in 15 career meetings with the Warriors and helped Oklahoma City to a 120-109 victory in this series on Jan. 27 in Oakland with 37 points and 14 rebounds. The Thunder have won eight of the last 11 matchups against Golden State.
The Thunder improved to an NBA-best 19-5 with last night's 111-107 overtime win at Portland, as Durant led the way with 33 points and Russell Westbrook added 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Serge Ibaka had 12 points and 13 boards for Oklahoma City, which is 10-4 on the road and won for the seventh time in its last nine tries.
"It was a tough game," Thunder coach Scott Brooks told the team's site. "It could have gone either way. I don't think one call is a difference-maker."
Oklahoma City, which rebounded from Saturday's loss at San Antonio, still has Sacramento and Utah left on the road trip. Durant is also averaging 31.4 points in eight career contests against Washington.
Golden State had won two straight and three of four games until dropping a 114-106 overtime decision at Sacramento on Saturday.
Dorell Wright had a season-high 24 points and Nate Robinson netted 20 for the Warriors, who got 18 points from Monta Ellis and 11 and nine assists out of Stephen Curry. Klay Thompson had 16 points and David Lee posted 10 and five rebounds in a losing effort.
No player had more than five rebounds for Golden State.
"We didn't step up to the challenge," Golden State coach Mark Jackson said. "It's awfully frustrating when a guy like Dominic McGuire can tie for our rebound lead in a little under than 15 minutes in the game. It's just a mentality, a mindset. We didn't put forth an effort to win on the road."
The Warriors hope to even their 6-7 home mark tonight versus the Thunder and are in the midst of playing 15 straight games against the West (3-3). The next time Golden State plays a team from the East is Feb. 28 at Indiana.
Ellis is listed as questionable for tonight with a balky wrist.
- OKLAHOMA CITY: 119
GOLDEN STATE: 116
Final
Feb 8 1:10 AM - OKLAHOMA CITY: 92
GOLDEN STATE: 93
End of 3rd
Feb 8 12:22 AM - OKLAHOMA CITY: 59
GOLDEN STATE: 57
Halftime
Feb 7 11:39 PM - OKLAHOMA CITY: 29
GOLDEN STATE: 35
End of 1st
Feb 7 11:10 PM - OKLAHOMA CITY: 0
GOLDEN STATE: 0
1st Quarter - 12:00
Feb 7 10:42 PM
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