Thunder-76ers Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Feb 29 2012 12:52AM

The Oklahoma City Thunder have emerged as a bona fide NBA title contender, and their play just before the All-Star break only seemed to reaffirm that status.

The Thunder will try to maintain their Western Conference lead during a potentially difficult three-game road trip that begins Wednesday night against the Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia 76ers.

Oklahoma City (27-7) entered the break on a five-game win streak and claimed its final two victories by 15 points apiece against perennial powers Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Led by All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder are averaging 102.7 points and among the league leaders in shooting (47.5 percent) and opponents' shooting percentage (42.3).

"We've just started to jell - young guys that love playing basketball, that's all that we do. It makes it easier to come to work every day," Durant, who was named the All-Star Game's MVP following a 36-point effort. "I'm just blessed I'm a part of this organization. Everybody is just Grade A, and I'm glad we're getting better as a group."

The Thunder, however, still see room to improve, especially in taking care of the ball. Oklahoma City has one of the league's highest turnover rates at 16.9 per game.

"I'm greedy," Durant said. "There's some games we lost that we should have won. But, all in all, it was decent. ... We've got to keep working, keep improving. We can't be happy with just being 27-7. There's a lot of things we have to work on."

The Thunder will begin that work during a Eastern road trip that will also take them to Orlando and Atlanta.

The journey starts against Philadelphia (21-14), which snapped a season-high five-game skid in its return from the break by routing Detroit 97-68 on the road Tuesday.

After averaging 83.2 points during its losing streak, Philadelphia had six players score in double figures Tuesday, led by Thaddeus Young's 20. The 76ers also shot 50.0 percent in the win, 10.5 better than in their previous five games.

They also allowed their second-fewest points this season and lowest shooting percentage (31.6).

"The guys gave me a great gift with the way they played," said coach Doug Collins, who left the bench between the third and fourth quarters after feeling lightheaded.

Philadelphia has had a more difficult time stopping the Thunder in recent matchups, allowing at least 109 points in each of the past four and an average of 111.8. That's helped Oklahoma City produce a five-game win streak in the series, including back-to-back victories at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Thunder, though, won last season's two meetings by a combined 11 points and needed overtime to prevail 110-105 in Philadelphia on March 9. Durant had 34 points in that win, including the final five in regulation, and has averaged 31.0 over his past four games against the 76ers.

Westbrook averaged 29.0 points in last season's two matchups for his second-best mark against any opponent in 2010-11.

Philadelphia's Jrue Holiday averaged a team-best 19.5 points in last season's series, and his career mark of 16.3 against the Thunder is the third-year guard's best versus any opponent.

Durant, Westbrook lead Thunder over 76ers 92-88

By ROB MAADDI
Posted Feb 29 2012 10:43PM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) On a night when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were missing more shots than usual, the All-Star duo did the little things to win.

Durant scored eight of his 23 points down the stretch and Westbrook had 22 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 92-88 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

James Harden added 16 points as the NBA-leading Thunder overcame a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter and won their sixth straight game.

Durant and Westbrook combined to shoot just 36.8 percent (14 of 38), but Durant made a clutch steal late and Westbrook had seven offensive rebounds, including a key one in the final seconds.

"That kid is an amazing athlete," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said of Westbrook. "He's dynamic and that last rebound was huge. That's our guy. He's so good, you kind of get used to him making plays like that."

Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday each had 18 points for the Atlantic Division-leading 76ers, who beat Detroit on Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

Coming off his MVP performance in the All-Star game, Durant had a tough time duplicating that 36-point effort in the West's win over the East on Sunday. The two-time scoring champion shot 7 of 18 but delivered at the end.

"That's the type of game we needed," Durant said. "We missed a lot of easy shots, but we came out with a win."

Sixers coach Doug Collins was back on the bench after watching the fourth quarter of the 97-68 win at Detroit from the locker room because he was dizzy. Collins said he felt great and that the dizziness was caused by dehydration.

For a while, it seemed the Sixers were going to give Collins another reason to feel better.

Following a timeout by the Thunder, Iguodala's steal led to a jumper by Holiday that put Philadelphia up 84-77 with 5:31 remaining.

But the Sixers missed their next 10 shots and Oklahoma City took advantage.

Durant hit a jumper and 3-pointer. His free throw with 3:20 left tied it at 85.

Serge Ibaka put the Thunder up 87-85 on a pair of free throws with 1:53 remaining. A free throw by Kendrick Perkins made it 88-85. After Lou Williams missed a 3-pointer, Perkins missed two free throws with 20.4 seconds to go. But Durant's steal at the other end and a free throw put the Thunder up 89-85.

Iguodala hit a 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds to go to get Philadelphia within one. But Durant made a free throw and then Westbrook made two to seal it after getting a rebound off Durant's miss.

The Thunder won the battle on the boards, outrebounding the Sixers 56-39. They also had a significant edge at the foul line, going 26 of 34 while Philadelphia was just 10 of 12.

"We're not a team that gets to the foul line," Collins said. "We got beat by 16 points at the foul line. We're still going to keep driving in there."

The Thunder were the West's No. 4 playoff seed last season when they fell two wins short of reaching the NBA finals. They're aiming to win a championship this season and are ahead of the pack in a tough conference.

Tough defense helped Oklahoma City pull this one out, and that's the team's mentality the rest of the way.

"Our mindset to win this game was to make stops on the defensive end," Harden said. "We have to have a defensive mentality."

Despite losing six of seven, the upstart Sixers are still the front-runners in their division.

The Sixers used a 10-0 run to take their biggest lead, 63-55, in the third quarter. Jodie Meeks followed a thunderous slam by Iguodala with a fast-break layup to cap the run. Daequan Cook ended it with a 3-pointer and the Thunder cut the deficit to 67-63 after three quarters.

Durant and Philadelphia's Evan Turner drew technicals and had to be separated after a mini-scuffle in the final minute of the first half. Durant heard loud boos when he got the ball on the next possession, but he silenced the crowd with a 3-pointer that gave the Thunder a 53-48 lead going into halftime.

"We defend. That's one thing we are consistent with. We just have to keep doing it," Brooks said. "But they defend, too. That's why this is such a great win. Because that team over there is one of the best defensive teams in the league."

Notes: Sixers center Spencer Hawes missed his 11th straight game because of a strained left Achilles. The Sixers are 12-2 with the 7-footer in the lineup, 9-13 without him. ... Former Sixers coach and All-Star guard Maurice Cheeks, an assistant with the Thunder, got a standing ovation when he was shown on the video screen in the second quarter. ... The Thunder are 13-6 on the road, 15-1 at home. ... Perkins earned his 12th technical foul in the fourth quarter. He's one away from a one-game suspension. ... Oklahoma City won despite shooting 9 of 36 in the second half, including 2 of 20 in the third quarter.

Notebook: Thunder 92, Sixers 88

Posted Wednesday February 29, 2012 10:35PM

By Andy Jasner, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Kevin Durant scored 23 points, Russell Westbrook contributed 22 points and a season-high 13 rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their sixth straight game with a 92-88 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. James Harden also sparked the Thunder with 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench. The Thunder improved to 28-7 and an impressive 13-6 on the road.

Jrue Holiday and Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 18 points each. Thaddeus Young added 16 but it wasn't enough as Philadelphia dropped its fourth in a row at home. The Sixers fell to 21-15 overall and 13-7 at home.

QUOTABLE: "It was sloppy at times but we stuck together and hung tight."
-- Thunder coach Scott Brooks.

THE STAT: The Sixers went cold in the fourth quarter as they missed 11 straight shots from 5:32 until Iguodala hit a 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds left.

TURNING POINT: Oklahoma City took control when the Sixers missed those 11 straight field goals in the fourth. Any momentum the Sixers had quickly vanished with each miss.

HOT: Harden was 4-for-9 but knocked down both of his shots in the fourth. Those were two huge baskets when the Thunder needed them desperately.

NOT: Lavoy Allen and Evan Turner each went 0-for-3 for the Sixers.

QUOTABLE II: "From the point guard position, it's just amazing."
-- Harden, on Westbrook's season-high 13 rebounds, including seven off the offensive glass.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Westbrook not only had 22 points and 13 rebounds, but he also had four assists and one steal. He was 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

INSIDE THE ARENA: The large crowd of 19,746 was buzzing all night. It reached a fever pitch in the fourth as the game came down to the waning seconds.

QUOTABLE III: "We've got to do a better job rebounding. Teams have really taken it to us on the offensive glass."
-- Iguodala, on the Sixers being outrebounded 56-39.

GOOD MOVE: Brooks called on reserve Royal Ivey to guard Williams at times. Ivey did a stellar job and forced Williams into some very difficult shots. Williams finished 3-for-11.

BAD MOVE: The Sixers stalled in their halfcourt offense down the stretch when points were difficult. They probably could have gone to the basket more often.

ROOKIE WATCH: Thunder guard Reggie Jackson scored two points in nearly 12 minutes. Forward Ryan Reid didn't play. For the Sixers, Allen started once again at center and went scoreless with two rebounds. Forward Nikola Vucevic had two points and four rebounds.

NOTABLE: Durant and Turner each received technical fouls with 36.2 seconds remaining in the second quarter. They had to be separated following some pushing and shoving. ... Thunder center Kendrick Perkins also received a technical with 4:22 left in regulation for shoving Brand. ... The Thunder continue to lead the league in blocked shots. They entered Wednesday's game at Philadelphia averaging 7.88 per game yet had only four against the Sixers. ... Westbrook has scored at least 20 points in 20 of the last 25 games. ... Elton Brand earned his seventh double-double this season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. ... The Sixers were outrebounded 56-39, marking the seventh time they have been outrebounded by double figures this season and the fifth time this month. ... Over the past five games, opponents have made 102 free throws while the Sixers have attempted 66. The Thunder made 26 while the Sixers attempted just 12. ... Westbrook's point-rebound double-double was his second of the season.

NEXT: For the Thunder, Thursday @ Orlando, Saturday @ Atlanta, Monday vs. Dallas. For the Sixers, Friday vs. Golden State, Sunday vs. Chicago, Monday @ Milwaukee.

• Thunder: Maynor, Sefolosha
• 76ers: Brackins

• Thunder: Durant, Perkins
• 76ers: Turner

• Lead Changes: 11
• Times Tied: 13

• Arena: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #65 Sean Wright, #74 Curtis Blair
• Attendance: 19746
• Duration: 2:13