Final
Durant leads Thunder into Portland
Jan 13, 2013 - 3:48 PM (Sports Network) - Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant has scored 20-plus points in 12 straight games, averaging 31.3 ppg in that time, and will look to lead his team past the Portland Trail Blazers Sunday at the Rose Garden.Durant recorded a season-best 42 points on 16-of-25 shooting in a 116-101 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night. He also had eight rebounds and five assists for Oklahoma City, which opened a three-game road trip on a high note and has won seven of the past nine games.
Russell Westbrook posted a double-double with 27 points and 10 assists, while Kevin Martin added 15 points for the Thunder, who are 10-5 away from home and lead the NBA with 105.7 ppg.
"A great team win for us," Durant said. "My teammates did a good job of getting me the ball. We moved the ball so well which makes it easy for everybody."
The Northwest Division-leading Thunder are scheduled to close out the road swing Monday against the moribund Phoenix Suns in the desert.
Portland hopes to get back on the winning path and extend its nine-game home winning streak against the mighty Thunder.
The Trail Blazers had won four in a row, including a 92-90 triumph over the Miami Heat on Thursday, but dropped a 103-97 decision at Golden State the following night. Rookie Damian Lillard soared in his hometown to the tune of a career-high 37 points, six boards and four assists for Portland.
"I had a game like this in college, but that ended up with a win," Lillard, a native of Oakland, said of his performance. "That's why this is bittersweet."
Lillard set the franchise record for three-pointers made in a game with seven, going 7-for-12 from downtown.
Nicolas Batum had 16 points, while Wesley Matthews and Luke Babbitt netted 10 points apiece in a losing effort. The Blazers, still a dominant 12-4 in the past 16 tries, shot just 38 percent for the game and made only 15-of-43 3- pointers.
Portland is 13-4 in the Rose City, where it is playing eight of 10 games, and last won 10 in a row as the host during a 12-game run from Jan. 24 - March 9, 2009.
The Blazers and Thunder will play the second of four meetings this season and Oklahoma City grabbed a 106-92 victory at home on Nov. 2. Westbrook poured in 32 points and Durant tallied 23 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists in that one for the Thunder, who have won four in a row and seven of the last nine matchups in this series.
Oklahoma City has won two straight, three of four and four of its last six trips to the Pacific Northwest.
- OKLAHOMA CITY: 87
PORTLAND: 83
Final
Jan 13 11:30 PM - OKLAHOMA CITY: 87
PORTLAND: 83
End of Regulation
Jan 13 11:29 PM - 195
rootsRUWTbot Added 30 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Thunder 84, Trail Blazers 80 4th - 1:55Jan 13 11:19 PM - 160
rootsRUWTbot Added 51 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Thunder 84, Trail Blazers 78 4th - 2:39Jan 13 11:17 PM - 109
rootsRUWTbot Added 42 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Thunder 84, Trail Blazers 77 4th - 2:39Jan 13 11:17 PM - 67
rootsRUWTbot Took away 42 roots (Individual Performance)
Thunder 84, Trail Blazers 74 4th - 3:33Jan 13 11:13 PM - 109
rootsRUWTbot Added 10 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Thunder 81, Trail Blazers 74 4th - 3:56Jan 13 11:13 PM - 99
rootsRUWTbot Took away 69 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Thunder 80, Trail Blazers 74 4th - 4:06Jan 13 11:12 PM - 168
rootsRUWTbot Added 107 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Thunder 79, Trail Blazers 74 4th - 4:35Jan 13 11:08 PM - 61
rootsRUWTbot Took away 92 roots (Individual Performance)
Thunder 79, Trail Blazers 72 4th - 4:46Jan 13 11:08 PM - 57
roots - OKLAHOMA CITY: 68
PORTLAND: 59
End of 3rd
Jan 13 10:53 PM - OKLAHOMA CITY: 42
PORTLAND: 43
Halftime
Jan 13 10:12 PM - OKLAHOMA CITY: 22
PORTLAND: 19
End of 1st
Jan 13 9:37 PM - OKLAHOMA CITY: 0
PORTLAND: 0
1st Quarter - 11:48
Jan 13 9:12 PM
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