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Kings-Thunder Preview

Dec 6, 2015 - 7:07 AM The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the verge of matching their longest slide of the season, and Kevin Durant is taking responsibility.

Facing the Sacramento Kings should solve their issues for at least one game.

Durant will try to help the Thunder avoid a third straight defeat by continuing their dominance of the Kings on Sunday night.

Oklahoma City (11-8) shot 41.9 percent from the floor while losing its last two games. The Thunder missed 12 of 16 from long range in Thursday's 97-95 loss at Miami, which included 38 lead changes - the most in an NBA game this season.

Russell Westbrook failed to make it 39 as his 3-pointer as time expired rimmed out, leaving him without a point for the final 16 minutes. Durant wasn't much better, missing two 3s in the last 48 seconds.

Durant and Westbrook have combined for 109 points over the last two games, but the rest of the starters have totaled 42 to put the Thunder on the brink of matching their three-game skid from Nov. 2-5.

"We gotta put games together. We gotta put four or five games; good games together," Durant said. "I think we've been too inconsistent and that starts with me. I gotta definitely up the level of my teammates every single time I'm on the court. I gotta do a way better job."

Durant leads Oklahoma City with 28.2 points per game. He's hit that average exactly while shooting 53.3 percent from the floor - 16 of 34 from beyond the arc - over the past five games after missing six with a strained left hamstring.

The Thunder should benefit from a meeting with Sacramento (7-14) since they've won 22 of the last 25 matchups, including all 13 meetings at Oklahoma City while outscoring the Kings by an average of 13.0 points.

Sacramento is surrendering an average of 114.1 points while losing seven of nine games on the road. The Kings fell 120-113 on Saturday in Houston.

"They just answered all of our pushes," said Rudy Gay, who averaged 24.3 points against the Thunder last season. "We thought we had something going and they came back and hit a three, got a dunk or a layup or a foul. We just can't win like that."

They also need more production out of DeMarcus Cousins, who has totaled 30 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks over the last two games while dealing with foul trouble. He fouled out against the Rockets, finishing with 14 points and nine boards.

"I think the foul trouble bothered him from getting into a consistent type of rhythm," coach George Karl said.

Cousins is averaging 13.4 points and 8.1 boards over the last seven games in Oklahoma City.

The Kings are 0-5 this season on the second end of back-to-backs.