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Oklahoma City Thunder News

Kevin Durant's 36 points lead Thunder over Memphis Grizzlies, 101-94
February 4
Memphis Commercial Appeal
 
"All you need to know about the Grizzlies' latest defeat is that they combined to score 17 points in the fourth quarter –- just one more than Kevin Durant. The Oklahoma City Thunder forward showed just why he is one of the NBA's most dynamic and clutch scorers Friday night in Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Griz could only tip their collective hats following a 101-94 loss that ended their two-game winning streak. Durant scored 16 of his game-high 36 points and the Thunder enjoyed 61-percent shooting in a final frame that began with the Griz leading by eight points. "He's a great player," Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said of Durant. "He took over the game. He's going to be one of the all-time"
James Harden is 'Captain Crunch'
February 4
The Oklahoman
 
"Kevin Durant was the closer Friday night. But James Harden was the setup man. The combination proved lethal for Memphis. Thunder 101, Grizzlies 94. No doubt the basketball world will be buzzing about Durant's play down the stretch. And it should be. The superstar played up to his billing, scoring the Thunder's last 10 points and sticking one dagger after another into the Grizzlies. But frankly, if not for Harden, Durant would've never had a shot to play hero. The Thunder was sunk without The Beard. On a night when the Grizzlies outplayed and outhustled the Thunder through three quarters, Harden changed the entire vibe of the game in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter. "We knew we"
Kevin Durant scores 36 points as Thunder beats Grizzlies
February 4
The Oklahoman
 
"Kevin Durant insists he has yet to see his latest commercial. You know, the 30-second NBA ad that calls him "Kid Clutch." The slow-motion spot begins with Durant stepping into a jumper and rising high above a defender. Upon Durant's release, a phrase appears on the screen, one word at a time, branding Durant as "the shooter with the golden touch." As the ball travels through the air, the flashing white words remind that "we all know where this is going" and that we will be "arriving at our destination shortly." When the ball splashes through the net, the message reads "home sweet home." Then, as Durant turns and begins his trot back on defense, we're told three things. He is automatic. He"
Kevin Durant named All-Star starter
February 3
The Oklahoman
 
"The NBA Western Conference All-Stars will start an all-Oklahoma tandem at forward. Fans made the Thunder's Kevin Durant and former OU standout Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers the leading vote-getters at the position. "Thank u guys for voting me into the all star game, I really appreciate it!!'' Durant (@KDTrey5) tweeted. Results were released Thursday night during the TNT pregame show. "It's an honor to be on that list," Griffin told TNT's David Aldridge. "A lot of guys deserve it, so I definitely am happy about it." It marks the second straight season Durant has been voted on as a starter and the third straight time he was selected for the game. Coaches voted him on as a reserve"
Kendrick Perkins doesn't regret being on receiving end of Blake Griffin's dunk
February 3
The Oklahoman
 
"If Kendrick Perkins could do it over, he wouldn't change a thing. Despite winding up on the wrong end of what many have been deemed the 'Dunk of the Year," Perkins would challenge Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin again if he needed to. And again and again and again. "It happens. At the end of the day, if you're a shot blocker, you're going to get dunked on," Perkins said. "It was a great play that he made. Obviously, I wish I wasn't in it. But it was a great play that he made." Of course, what's flown under the radar from the play that is still being talked about four days later is that Perkins made one, too. But that's been overlooked in the millions of YouTube hits, countless"
Serge Ibaka blocks 10 shots in OKC's 95-86 victory over Mavs
February 2
The Oklahoman
 
"After a five-game playoff series last year, two preseason games to start this season and two more early regular season contests against the Dallas Mavericks, forward Serge Ibaka on Wednesday night finally figured out how he could make an impact against the defending NBA champions. Thunder coach Scott Brooks concurred. With Ibaka spending most of his time guarding the center position rather than deadly Mavs scorer Dirk Nowitzki, the Thunder's defense reverted to its dominant ways in a 95-86 win over Dallas inside the American Airlines Center. Ibaka blocked a career-high 10 shots — matching the amount the Mavs registered as a team — while adding 11 rebounds to lift the Thunder to 17-4 and"
Ice-cold Mavs lack finishing kick in loss to Thunder
February 2
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Rick Carlisle started his postgame news conference by apologizing for kicking the basketball into the stands during the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game against Oklahoma City. But the Dallas Mavericks' coach stopped short of apologizing for the way the Mavs played in the second half against the Thunder. In a game that took on an aggressive, playoff-type overtone, the Mavs made just eight field goals in the second half and suffered a 95-86 loss to the Thunder at American Airlines Center. The action was so maddening that Carlisle received his first technical at the 11:33 mark of the fourth quarter for arguing a call, then received his second less than two minutes later."
Jason Terry pays homage to Thunder -- sort of
February 2
Dallas Morning News
 
"Jason Terry was the one Maverick who had some offensive spunk on Wednesday night. He also made it clear after the Mavericks' 95-86 loss to Oklahoma City just where things stand in the Western Conference - for the moment. "They're the team to beat,'' Terry said of the Thunder. "They're playing the best right now, and that's fine with us. For the time being, they are the team to beat. And they are playing very well together. Can they be beaten? Yes. They just were the better team tonight.''"
Kevin Durant disses Blake Griffin dunk
February 2
ESPN.com
 
"Not everyone is so fired up about Blake Griffin's dunk over Oklahoma City big man Kendrick Perkins on Monday. The Clippers star went down the lane, elevated, made contact with Perkins and then threw the ball down into the basket, the fingers on his outstretched hand grazing the rim. The play has been the talk of the league. "I have no appreciation for it at all," said Perkins' Thunder teammate Kevin Durant. "It was a layup, I think. He threw the ball in and got fouled and made his free throw, so it was three points at the end of the day, no matter how it happened, how it went in the basket. I really wasn't impressed. He finished it. So what? We've moved on.""
Did the Clippers expose some of Thunder's weak spots?
February 1
The Oklahoman
 
"When discussing Monday night's loss against the Los Angeles Clippers, those associated with the Thunder at one point uttered the same thing almost verbatim. "We had a bad game. It happens." The 112-100 loss at Staples Center indeed was a bad game for OKC. There were times it was an extremely bad game. However, the Thunder is extremely good at making sure one bad game does not become two. OKC's record after a loss the last two seasons is 22-7, a mark surpassed only by Chicago's 21-4. Resiliency has not been a problem for the Thunder and it's no time to start, with a nationally televised (ESPN) 7 p.m. game Wednesday at Dallas (14-8) and a five-game road trip commencing Saturday at San"
Thunder notebook: James Harden starts in place of Thabo Sefolosha
January 31
The Oklahoman
 
"Guard Thabo Sefolosha missed his second start of the season, sitting out the Thunder's game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night at Staples Center with a sore right foot. Sefolosha said his status remains day-to-day and he has not ruled out playing Wednesday at Dallas. Sixth Man of the Year candidate James Harden replaced Sefolosha in the lineup, which gave OKC more offensive firepower but made defending the talented Clippers on the perimeter more difficult. Sefolosha said he would share advice with Harden before the game and also during the contest."
Clippers whip OKC Thunder 112-100
January 31
The Oklahoman
 
"A 51-second nightmare came just before halftime of one bad game. That's what happened to the Thunder on Monday night, losing 112-100 to the Los Angeles Clippers. Trailing by 16 points after the first 15 minutes, OKC had clawed its way back to within 52-46. That's when everything abruptly went south on a West Coast trip for the team with the NBA's best record."
It's Clippers who bring the noise in resounding win over Thunder
January 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"From the looks of things, the Clippers have accepted the challenge that this difficult week might bring. Day 2 of The Gauntlet on Monday night brought the Clippers a showdown with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team with the best record in the NBA and two of the league's top young stars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. And it didn't turn out to be much of a problem for the Clippers, not with six of them scoring in double figures and Blake Griffin putting on another dunk show during their 112-100 victory over the Thunder at Staples Center."
Fans should enjoy the moment, the players who are here
January 30
The Oklahoman
 
"The ink hardly had dried on Russell Westbrook's contract extension before some Thunder fans began fretting about the next two in line. A signing that should have been celebrated as a deal that secured the long-term future of two of the league's top players — Westbrook and Kevin Durant — somehow became a cause for concern. Locally, the lingering question has been, will the Thunder now be able to keep James Harden and Serge Ibaka? It's the NBA's version of borrowing trouble. Someday, Oklahoma City surely will be forced to bid adieu to someone in its talented young core. But now is not the time to worry over how imminent that day might be."
OKC gets first crack at 'Lob City' duo of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul on Monday night
January 30
The Oklahoman
 
"Thunder coach Scott Brooks calls it "the perfect combination." Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin was the unanimous Rookie of the Year last season and quickly became an NBA force, but his stock rose even higher with the Dec. 14 acquisition of point guard Chris Paul from New Orleans. With the league's best record in tow at 16-3, the Thunder will do what it can to contain the Clippers' captivating "Lob City" combo on Monday at 9:30 p.m. at Staples Center. A former point guard, Brooks has a deep appreciation for those who excel at the position, and Paul leaves Brooks shaking his head."
Time to reap the rewards of team's growing pains
January 29
The Oklahoman
 
"Don't look now, but the Thunder is getting old(er). The franchise that relocated from Seattle four seasons ago quickly became the new kids on the NBA block. Located smack-dab in the middle of a college-crazed state, Oklahoma City finally turned pro and had done so with a bunch of college-aged kids. Gone are the Thunder's growing pains of youth. As sole owners of the NBA's best record at 16-3, the time has come to reap some rewards. "I knew we were going to be young for a lot of years," OKC coach Scott Brooks said. "Any team with an excuse, they're going to use it. We never used our age as an excuse and we never will." The longer the current Thunder roster remains status quo, the more"
Durant scores 15 in 4th as Thunder beat Warriors
January 28
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"When the Warriors played the Lakers at the Staples Center this month, head coach Mark Jackson probably should have switched Dorell Wright off Kobe Bryant. But the Warriors' small forward persuaded the coach to give him another chance. "He said, 'Coach, I got him,' " Jackson said. "As a coach or a player, you want to hear that when you're in a foxhole with a guy. Even if he doesn't believe it, I want him to convince me that he believes it. "It was refreshing to watch him step up." That bravado didn't work out so well as Bryant torched the Warriors for 39 points in the Lakers' 97-90 victory. But the remnants of that confidence afforded Wright another shot at defending one of the league's top"
Thunder tops Warriors 120-109
January 28
The Oklahoman
 
"Roughly 30 minutes after Kevin Durant had scored a season-high 37 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a 120-109 victory at Golden State on Friday night, the two-time NBA scoring champ proclaimed forward Serge Ibaka as player of the game. Part of this was Durant simply being Durant, once again redirecting the spotlight elsewhere inside his own locker room as he often does. However, Durant might have been right. The 22-year-old Ibaka got off to an enigmatic start this season, but seems to have rediscovered his inner greatness and is now oozing confidence. He finished with a season-high in points (20) and rebounds (12), but a season-low in blocked shots (zero). Durant had named Ibaka player of"
Thunder hits the road, where it's been successful
January 27
The Oklahoman
 
"Eight times in the next 15 days the Thunder will play in enemy territory. Only once in the next nine games will OKC play inside the friendly confines of Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder schedule doesn't become friendly again until Valentine's Day, appropriately enough. That's when a sweetheart stretch begins with six homes games in a 10-day span, culminating with back-to-back appearances from the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 22-23 and followed by the All-Star break. Such is the give and take of this year's brutally condensed 66-game schedule. But in case you haven't noticed, the road hasn't been such a bad place for the Thunder lately. In the past three seasons, only"
Thunder keeps it close but avoids repeat of Wizards' fiasc
January 26
The Oklahoman
 
"When the Thunder played last Wednesday night at Washington, it had the NBA's best record at 12-2 and lost to the team with the league's worst record in the 1-12 Wizards. When the Thunder played this Wednesday night at home against New Orleans, it had the Western Conference's best record at 14-3 and was on the verge of losing to the conference's worst record in the 3-14 Hornets. OKC managed to regain its focus before another sellout crowd of 18,203 inside Chesapeake Energy Arena and escaped with a 101-91 victory over New Orleans, which has now lost nine straight."
Hornets lose ninth consecutive game, fall to Oklahoma City Thunder on road
January 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"Desiring to give Mexican-born forward Gustavo Ayon more playing time Wednesday night, Hornets Coach Monty Williams put Chris Kaman on the inactive list for the first time this season. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ayon had his best performance of the season with 16 points, but the Hornets couldn't avoid yet another loss — 101-91 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in front of a sellout crowd of 18,203 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. For the first time since the 2004-05 season, the Hornets (3-15) have lost nine consecutive games. It was their sixth loss in eight road games. The last time the Hornets (3-15) enjoyed a victory was Jan. 9 at Denver."
Thunder roar as Pistons sputter
January 25
Detroit News
 
"The Oklahoma City Thunder are primed for a title run this June. The Pistons look well on their way to a spot at the draft lottery. Thus, Monday's result was predictable. The Thunder didn't leave any doubt and the Pistons didn't put up much of a fight with their 99-79 loss at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Guard Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 24 points, six assists and five rebounds. The Thunder once were where the Pistons are, when they started 3-29 in head coach Scott Brooks' first season (2008-09) but the next season made the playoffs. Now they own the league's best record (14-3)."
Chesapeake Arena, local extras get a taste of Hollywood
January 25
The Oklahoman
 
"Brian Morgan stood in silence along the rail near the home team's tunnel. Those were his orders as he waited for the director to again scream "action." Morgan, and a few hundred others like him, was explicitly instructed to not engage the cast in conversation. Not even during long periods of down time. But when the 6-foot-10 man of the hour sauntered over, sat down on the arena's hockey wall and struck up a chat, well, all bets were off. "Inside, I was kind of freaking out," Morgan said. "Kevin Durant was standing right next to me." Morgan, 28, of Edmond, was one of roughly 300 extras who attended a daylong session of filming for Durant's upcoming movie "Thunderstruck." Wearing a white"
Thunder played close to perfection against Pistons
January 25
The Oklahoman
 
"Every coach will tell you there is no such thing as a team playing a perfect game. It's just not physically or mentally possible, so the goal is to perform as well as possible for as long as possible. Though OKC is 14-3 and atop the Western Conference standings entering Wednesday's 7 p.m. home contest against New Orleans, the Thunder has yet to dominate the way many had projected this season, including the Thunder players themselves. Despite a shiny record, OKC has yet to play a full 48 minutes this season. "Not yet. I don't think so," starting guard Thabo Sefolosha said of his team clicking on all cylinders. "We had games where we showed it, but there were parts that we didn't. We've just"
Next Thunder member due a pay raise: coach Scott Brooks
January 24
The Oklahoman
 
"Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is now under contract through the 2016-17 season and will be surrounded by familiar faces for several seasons. Two-time scoring champ Kevin Durant is signed through 2015-16, Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison are signed through 2014-15 and Thabo Sefolosha through 2013-14. Next on the agenda are rookie contract extensions for James Harden, Serge Ibaka and Eric Mayor, who are signed through 2012-13, as is Daequan Cook. Rarely has an NBA team been able to re-sign its top nine players for an extended period of time. For OKC to be in position to do so is somewhat unfathomable. However, quietly the clock ticks even faster on another key "core" component of"
Russell Westbrook looks like he's worth every penny
January 24
The Oklahoman
 columnist Jenni Carlson
"If this is how Russell Westbrook is going to play with a new contract, the Thunder might've wanted to get that deal done a few weeks ago. He was as good as he has been all season Monday. The Thunder point guard had his way with the lowly Pistons in a 99-79 blowout. He created good looks. He made pretty passes. He snagged big rebounds. He played stifling defense. He made great decisions. He played like a guy motivated to prove that he's worth every penny of his new five-year, $80 million deal. You can't always say that about players who get fat paydays."
Another home blowout as Thunder routs Pistons
January 24
The Oklahoman
 
"Russell Westbrook barreled down the lane, blowing past the powerless Detroit Pistons defense, and threw down an emphatic tomahawk dunk. To punctuate the slam, he leaned back, flexed his muscles and let out a thunderous roar. The basket gave the Thunder a mere four-point lead 2 minutes, 9 seconds in. But right then, you got the sense this one would be a blowout. Thunder players had a different look in their eyes and pep in their step. Thunder fans, who hadn't seen their team in more than a week, were full of the fervor that had faded in the last few. When Westbrook whipped an on-the run, behind-the-back pass to Kevin Durant for a layup on the ensuing Thunder possession, the rout was on. The"
Thunder roar as Pistons sputter
January 24
Detroit News
 
"The Oklahoma City Thunder are primed for a title run this June. The Pistons look well on their way to a spot at the draft lottery. Thus, Monday's result was predictable. The Thunder didn't leave any doubt and the Pistons didn't put up much of a fight with their 99-79 loss at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Guard Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 24 points, six assists and five rebounds. The Thunder once were where the Pistons are, when they started 3-29 in head coach Scott Brooks' first season (2008-09) but the next season made the playoffs. Now they own the league's best record (14-3)."
Pistons put up little fight against Thunder
January 24
Detroit News
 
"The Oklahoma City Thunder are primed for a title run this June. The Pistons look well on their way to a spot at the draft lottery and thus, Monday's result was predictable. The Thunder didn't leave any doubt and the Pistons didn't put up much of a fight with their 99-79 loss at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Guard Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 24 points, six assists and five rebounds. The Thunder were once where the Pistons are, when they started 3-29 in head coach Scott Brooks' first season (2008-09) but the next season made the playoffs. Now they own the league's best record (14-3)."
Russell Westbrook signing proves Thunder owners are willing to spend
January 23
The Oklahoman
 
"Sam Presti spoke at length Sunday about his chief goal as the general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder. It's one that hasn't changed in the franchise's four years of existence. At a press conference announcing guard Russell Westbrook's contract extension, however, Presti offered a reminder that his main mission has been to build a team that, above all, has long term sustainability. "Nothing really changes in terms of what our vision for this organization is," Presti said. "This is just another step in that direction.""
Russell Westbrook's winning ways, resiliency when he's not winning, impressed OKC
January 23
The Oklahoman
 
"As he addressed roughly 400 people on Sunday afternoon at his team's old practice facility, Thunder general manager Sam Presti attempted to identify Russell Westbrook's biggest attribute as a player. "I think it's safe to say he impacts winning," said Presti, who mentioned Westbrook's back-to-back Final Four appearances in his two seasons at UCLA, which were followed by winning a gold medal at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey and OKC advancing to the Western Conference Finals — all in a span of just five years and before the age of 23."
Pistons coach Lawrence Frank weighs Ben Wallace/Jonas Jerebko option vs. Thunder
January 23
Detroit Free Press
 
"Pistons coach Lawrence Frank might have an interesting decision for tonight's road game against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Does Frank continue to start defensive stalwart Ben Wallace, or does he opt for more firepower by starting Jonas Jerebko? In Saturday night's 94-91 win over Portland, Wallace started his fourth game in five days. It paid off, as Wallace limited the damage by the Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge, who entered the game seventh in NBA scoring and put up 25 points."
Kevin Durant, Scott Brooks happy to have Russell Westbrook locked up
January 22
The Oklahoman
 
"Kevin Durant on Saturday said Russell Westbrook deserves the maximum five-year contract that will pay him approximately $80 million. It's a contract that will keep Westbrook in a Thunder uniform through the 2016-17 season and teammates with Durant through at least 2015-16. "I'm excited for Russell. He's worked so hard," Durant said. "A lot of people wrote him off. When we drafted him, people kind of didn't know what was going on. We took him fourth. But he's matured into a top five point guard in this league; top 10 player in this league, I think. The stuff he's doing is kind of unreal. If you've looked at the games he's played, some of his best games are like video game numbers." Durant"
Thunder takes care of business in 84-74 win over New Jersey
January 22
The Oklahoman
 
"It wasn't the prettiest game of ball, but at least this time the Oklahoma City Thunder handled business. Coming off a loss to the league-worst Washington Wizards, the Thunder had a chance to get back on track against a club with only two more wins. And Oklahoma City did just that against New Jersey, clinching an 84-74 cakewalk at the Prudential Center on Saturday night. The Thunder led by as many as 17 points and never trailed after Kevin Durant finished a fast break with a tomahawk slam to make it 13-12 with 4:49 remaining in the opening period. "It was a tough loss for us (at Washington). It was a game I think we should have won," Durant said. "But tonight, we let that go and we played"
Rebounding has become an issue
January 21
The Oklahoman
 
"Fast-talking Washington coach Flip Saunders stood near center court before Wednesday night's game against Oklahoma City spewing praise on the Thunder for the second straight day. After gushing over the team's All-Star duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Saunders shifted gears and shared his admiration for the Thunder's big men. He called the four-man rotation of Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammed the NBA's best foursome up front. Approximately three hours later, Saunders watched his two-man tandem of Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee own the glass against the quartet he had just spent so much time commending. The Wizards out-rebounded the Thunder 52-43 in"
Russell Westbrook's contract extension will keep Thunder among NBA elite
January 20
The Oklahoman
 
"They call Russell Westbrook a shoot-first point guard. Wrong description. Westbrook is a shoot-lots point guard — 17.3 shots a game, eighth-most in the NBA. Only Kobe Bryant shoots more among guards. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Westbrook is making 45.3 percent of his shots and in the league's top 20 for foul shots made per game. You won't hear me squawking for Westbrook to pass the ball. But he does, frequently. Westbrook likes to pass. He tries some goofy decisions, but he makes a ton of great passes, too. A total mystery is how the world came to see Westbrook as selfish. Watch the games, please. And more evidence arrived Wednesday, a banner day in Boomtown, when Westbrook"
Russell Westbrook agrees to 5-year contract extension with Oklahoma City Thunder
January 20
The Oklahoman
 
"Outside of his family, Russell Westbrook probably can count on one hand those who believed in him. There was Reggie Hamilton, the man who gave Westbrook his first shot at organized basketball back in Los Angeles-area pee-wee leagues. There was Reggie Morris, the former coach at Leuzinger High, Westbrook's alma mater. There was UCLA coach Ben Howland — barely. Then, along came a start-up professional basketball franchise called the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team employed decision-makers named Sam Presti and Troy Weaver and Scott Brooks. Collectively, they decided to use the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft to select Westbrook. Suddenly, Westbrook needed more fingers. Because of"
Russell Westbrook agrees to 5-year contract extension with Oklahoma City Thunder
January 19
The Oklahoman
 
"Russell Westbrook has been locked up. The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed its All-Star point guard to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Thursday. Details of the deal were not released, per team policy. But according to Yahoo! Sports, which first reported the deal, Westbrook will earn $80 million over five years, the maximum number of years for which he could have re-signed. The deal, which will go into effect next season, would keep Westbrook in Oklahoma City through the 2016-17 season."
Washington improves to 2-12 after beating first-place Thunder
January 19
The Oklahoman
 
"Before the opening quarter had grown eight minutes old, a female fan seated in Section 119 pulled out a stack of papers and a purple highlighter. While her boyfriend appeared focused on the action that actually brought the couple out, the woman deemed it a better use of her time to review a market report for her consulting company. By the midway point of the third quarter, an adult male fan halfway down Section 102 was slumped in his seat…sleeping. Throughout the remainder of the arena, rows and rows of empty seats represented the apathy that has set in for fans of the professional basketball team in our nation's capital. This, much more than the league-worst Washington Wizards, was what"
Wizards pull off a stunning upset over Thunder, 105-102
January 19
Washington Times
 
"With 1:36 left to play, the Washington Wizards led the Oklahoma City Thunder by five points. The Verizon Center crowd, which started booing the hometown team before the introductions were even completed, came to its feet and began a standing ovation. It was a game that nearly everyone already had penciled in the win column for the Thunder (12-3) and in the loss column for the Wizards (2-12). But in a shocking upset, it was the Wizards who defeated the Thunder 105-102 on Wednesday night."
Nick Young scores 22 in second half to help Washington pull 105-102 upset of Oklahoma City
January 19
Washington Post
 
"Jordan Crawford tossed the ball skyward from near halfcourt and John Wall soared to catch it and dunked with two hands. Wall swung on the rim, let out a guttural scream and violently batted away the ball as the once-angry fans at Verizon Center suddenly started to applaud the Washington Wizards with equal vigor. Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant brought the team with the NBA's best record to his home town, and the expectation was that it would be a pushover against the team with the league's worst record. But Wall played with passion and flair; Nick Young overcame a horrid first-half slump to erupt when it counted; Andray Blatche overcame a hostile crowd that booed him in pregame"
Nick Young ignites Wizards in second half
January 19
Washington Post
 
"Nick Young was off to a horrible start on Wednesday night against Oklahoma City. The Wizards swingman had missed all five of his field goal attempts, and if it weren't for a pair of free throws, he would have finished with zero points. Then Young swished a three-pointer late in the third quarter and with his confidence restored proceeded to sink four more from that distance on the way to 24 points, 22 of which came in the second half. Young's five-three pointers, including one for the go-ahead points with 7 minutes 24 seconds to play, were more than all of the Thunder combined, helping the Wizards log their most impressive victory this season, 105-102, at Verizon Center."
Wizards' Rashard Lewis on former franchise: 'They built around the right player'
January 19
Washington Post
 
"Rashard Lewis's former franchise is no longer in the place that he left it — figuratively and literally. A year after Lewis departed Seattle to sign in Orlando in 2007, the SuperSonics bolted for Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. Only a few faces remain from his days with the organization, including former teammate Nick Collison. Lewis realized the franchise was starting over when it drafted Kevin Durant and traded Ray Allen to Boston for the draft rights to Jeff Green, but he can appreciate what the team has accomplished on the court since he's been gone."
Thunder's Thabo Sefolosha no longer an offensive liability
January 18
The Oklahoman
 
"With 7½ minutes left to play Monday night at Boston, Scott Brooks subbed in Thabo Sefolosha for the same reason he always does whenever the shooting guard is reinserted in the final period. "I knew we had to have that defender on the floor," Brooks said. The Thunder coach looked to his Swiss stopper to help slow two future Hall of Famers in Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. But what Brooks didn't anticipate is the boost Sefolosha would supply at the opposite end of the floor. Sefolosha scored 12 of his season-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, surprising the sold out TD Garden crowd with his offensive eruption and late-game sharpshooting. With the Celtics keying on Kevin Durant and Russell"
Durant's thunder is hard to harness
January 18
Washington Times
 
"The last time D.C. native Kevin Durant played in his hometown, he was dazzling a crowd of summer-league groupies in high school and college gyms and praying for an end to the NBA lockout. Fast forward a couple of months, and Durant is back in the District, preparing to lead his Oklahoma City Thunder against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. The teams couldn't be more different. The Thunder (12-2) have the league's best record, while the Wizards (1-12) have the league's worst. But the Wizards shouldn't expect Durant and the Thunder to go easy on them."
Durant, Thunder turned around a losing culture, a lesson the Wizards could learn from
January 18
Washington Post
 
"Kevin Durant might return to his home town as a most valuable player candidate on a team with the NBA's best record, but he didn't exactly begin his career in the best environment to succeed. Drafted second overall by a mediocre Seattle franchise that was rumored to be on the move, surrounded by players who weren't focused on winning, Durant won just 20 games as a rookie."
Thunder: Thabo Sefolosha, Russell Westbrook 3s lead way past Celtics
January 17
The Oklahoman
 
"Thabo Sefolosha caught the ball on the left wing with nine seconds showing on the shot clock. His Oklahoma City Thunder teammates, needing to nurse a tenuous seven-point lead in the final minute, had just spent the previous 15 seconds scrambling to milk every millisecond possible. But when Sefolosha hauled in a bullet pass from Kevin Durant on a drive and kick, he immediately let it fly. It probably wasn't the greatest decision. It didn't matter. Dagger. Sefolosha's surprising 3-pointer with 24 seconds left to play put the Thunder ahead by 10 and sealed Oklahoma City's 97-88 victory over Boston on Monday night inside TD Garden."
Kendrick Perkins loves OKC, but he still bleeds green
January 17
The Oklahoman
 
"Justin Tsouros and Brian Johnson got to their seats early, roughly 20 minutes before tip-off, armed with a turkey wrap, a roast beef sandwich, Cape Cod potato chips, two beers, a Blue Moon and a Molson, and mixed emotions. When they removed their coats, settling into their front row seats just behind the courtside collection inside TD Garden, they revealed threads that tore each of them up inside. Johnson wore a white No. 43 Celtics jersey. Tsouros donned a blue No. 5 Thunder jersey."
Celtics lit up in fourth
January 17
Boston Herald
 
"Doc Rivers keeps talking up the positives. He keeps saying that he likes this team, as if emotional reinforcement will pull the Celtics out of their non-athletic daze. In that respect, their fifth straight loss was different from the previous four. The C's had moments where they challenged the hottest team in the league in last night's 97-88 loss to Oklahoma City. But on Martin Luther King Day — also known as Kendrick Perkins Homecoming Day — no amount of challenging play could overcome an inevitable barrage."