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Clippers resume tough stretch in OKC

Mar 21, 2012 - 2:44 PM (Sports Network) - The Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping a three-game homestand will bring steady results and are scheduled to kick off the residency tonight versus the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Thunder are still the best team in the West as evidenced by their No. 1 seed and 34-12 record, but have alternated wins and losses over the past eight games and dropped a 97-90 decision to the Utah Jazz last night in Salt Lake City. Russell Westbrook scored a game-high 23 points and Kevin Durant added 18 for the Thunder, who got 17 points off the bench from James Harden.

"I just missed shots," said Durant, who finished the game 6-of-22 from the field. "I can't miss seven shots in the fourth quarter as one of the main guys. I can't do it. I just have to bounce back and stay positive and keep working."

Oklahoma City shot 42.3 percent for the game and made just 8 of 19 from beyond the arc. Serge Ibaka posted 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in defeat.

The Thunder are 19-4 as the host this season and will also entertain Minnesota and Miami on the homestand. They had won 14 in a row in the OKC earlier this season, but have lost three of five there.

Los Angeles will continue its three-game road trip in as many nights and suffered its third loss in four tries away from Staples Center with last night's 102-89 setback at Indiana in the opener of the trek.

Blake Griffin paced Los Angeles with 23 points and 10 boards, Chris Paul scored 16 points and Nick Young had 13 for the Clippers, who had won two straight and three of four games. The Clippers haven't scored 100 points in each of their last seven games -- a season high.

"A lot of shots that I think we normally hit did not go down and that's going to happen," Griffin said. "That's why we need to rely on our defense and it hasn't really been there. That's what is going to happen until we get it figured out."

LA will close out the road swing Thursday at New Orleans and is 11-11 as the visitor this season. It is also 1 1/2 games behind the rival Lakers for first place in the Pacific Division seeded fourth in the Western Conference. Griffin will be returning to the state in which he starred in college at Oklahoma.

The Clippers defeated the Thunder, 112-100, on Jan. 30 this season in Hollywood, as Paul registered 26 points and 14 assists. Griffin had 22 points, while Durant scored a game-best 36 points on 14-of-23 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds. Westbrook had 31 points in that one.