Durant ties record, Thunder get by Jazz
December 31, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—Nick Collison(notes) is the only player left from the last timethe Oklahoma City Thunder franchise won five games in a row, more than fourlong, loss-filled years ago.
With a crucial offensive rebound and two clutch free throws, he let histeammates find out what it feels like, too.
Kevin Durant(notes) scored 31 points to tie a franchise record for consecutive30-point games, Collison hit the tying and go-ahead free throws with 4.5 secondsleft and the Thunder beat the Utah Jazz 87-86 on Thursday night.
The Thunder franchise, which moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City before lastseason, hadn’t won five in a row since March 18-25, 2005.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward … AP – Dec 31, 11:14 pm EST Oklahoma City Thunder forward … AP – Dec 31, 11:13 pm EST
Oklahoma City Thunder forward … AP – Dec 31, 11:12 pm EST
Oklahoma City Thunder forward … AP – Dec 31, 11:09 pm EST
Utah Jazz guard Wesley Matthew… AP – Dec 31, 10:45 pm EST
Utah Jazz forward Carlos Booze… AP – Dec 31, 10:41 pm EST
Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams… AP – Dec 31, 10:41 pm EST
Oklahoma City Thunder forward … AP – Dec 31, 9:27 pm EST
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Er… AP – Dec 31, 9:25 pm EST
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan sh… AP – Dec 31, 9:23 pm EST
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“We’re finding a way to win games,” Collison said. “We’ve been talentedfor a long time and now we’re finding a way to win even when we don’t playwell.”
Collison came away with the ball after Durant missed a jumper from the rightwing, and was fouled by Paul Millsap(notes) in the process. After hitting only one ofhis previous four foul shots, Collison made both when it counted the most.
“The bottom line is that somebody stepped up,” Thunder coach Scott Brookssaid. “Nick got in there, and he always does. Nick finds a way to help his teamwin.”
Ronnie Price(notes) missed a 3-pointer from the right side at the final buzzer forUtah, which got a final surge from Deron Williams(notes) to pull ahead beforeCollison’s game-winning free throws.
Carlos Boozer(notes) scored 17 points, reserve Wesley Matthews(notes) had 14and MehmetOkur(notes) had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Jazz.
“It’s a tough one to swallow. We were right there,” said Williams, whoscored 10 of his 14 points in the final 5 minutes, including a three-point playwith 58 seconds left that gave Utah the lead.
“We played good enough defense the whole game to win the basketball game.Just offensively, we didn’t have everybody going.”
Durant surpassed 30 points for the sixth straight game, tying a franchiserecord set by Spencer Haywood in January 1972. He and Jeff Green(notes) ran togetherfor a mid-air chest bump after Price’s shot caromed off the rim, and white, red,yellow and blue balloons dropped from the rafters.
The win gave the Thunder the same 18-14 record as Utah, one year after a NewYear’s Eve win against Golden State was only their fourth of the season.
“It feels good. It’s a big step up,” Durant said. “We have a long ways togo, though. We can’t get satisfied.”
Williams had been practically silent all night before he scored the final 10points for the Jazz, including getting fouled on a driving jumper in the finalminute. He had a season-low three assists.
Green added 12 points but a season-high six turnovers, Collison scored 11and Russell Westbrook(notes) had eight points and 10 assists for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder had their largest lead at 70-62 after Eric Maynor(notes) stripped theball from Okur and raced down the floor for a fast-break layup early in thefourth quarter. The Jazz charged right back with a 10-2 spurt that featuredthree baskets by Matthews, including the tying fast-break layup with 8:16remaining.
Williams scored five straight points to give Utah its first lead of thesecond half at 81-78. Durant answered with a 3-pointer to tie it with 3:12 toplay, then Westbrook had a two-handed dunk to put Oklahoma City on top.
Collison answered Williams’ driving right-handed jam with a layup beforeWilliams gave the Jazz the lead one last time. Then Collison, in the gamebecause Green had five fouls, provided another response.
“He’s a winning basketball player. He knows that. Everybody around theleague knows that,” Brooks said. “Every player in this league can’t be on awinning team. The thing that I love about Nick is that he never accepted losingand never got into losing habits.”
The win put Oklahoma City in a tie with Utah for what would be the eighthand final playoff spot in the Western Conference, even though the season isn’teven halfway done yet.
“It’s early, man. We’re just hitting the new year. Anything can happen inthese next three or four months,” Durant said. “We’ve just got to continue toplay our brand of basketball and get better and worry about us.”
NOTES: Nine days after being traded from the Jazz to the Thunder in asalary-dumping move by Utah, Maynor had four points and six assists—his mostsince joining his new team. … The Thunder committed 20 turnovers, ending astring of eight straight games with 14 or fewer. … Williams is 14 assists shyof 3,000 for his career. … The Oklahoma City franchise’s last winning streakof more than five games came in November 2004, when Seattle won nine in a rowafter losing its season opener.
