The AP reports: Ideally, the Denver Nuggets wanted to jump on the Oklahoma City Thunder early and coast to a win before flying out to Los Angeles for their showdown with the Lakers. Instead, they had to fight like crazy before coming up big in the fourth quarter for a 122-112 win Wednesday night thanks to the usual stars—Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups—and an unusually good finish by Linas Kleiza… Anthony scored 31 points against the Thunder, Nene added 23, Billups chipped in 18, including every one in an 11-2 spurt the Nuggets used to finally get control of the game. Kleiza scored 12 of his 17 in the fourth quarter and Chris Andersen blocked seven shots. The Nuggets needed every bit of that effort to stave off the Thunder, who were led by Kevin Durant’s 31 points and Jeff Green’s 24.
Category: OKC Thunder Blog
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Entire team of game-worn Thunder jerseys up for auction
Thunder fans will have a unique opportunity Friday night to bid on jerseys worn by Thunder players during this historic first season in the Ford Center. The “Jersey Off Our Backs” auction will benefit the Oklahoma City Thunder Community Foundation Fund. Fans are invited to bid on game-worn jerseys from all 15 Thunder players at a silent auction table on the concourse during Friday night’s home finale vs.. Charlotte. The winning bidders will receive their jerseys at the conclusion of the game. Many of the jerseys will actually be worn by Thunder players during that final game.
Bidding for the jerseys will begin when doors open at 5:30 p.m. outside of section 101 on the concourse level of the Ford Center, right outside the Thunder Shop. Bids will be taken throughout the night, ending ten minutes following the conclusion of the game.
Spurs beat Thunder 99-89 in first game without Ginobili
The AP reports: With Manu Ginobili out through the playoffs, Drew Gooden filled in as a temporary member of San Antonio’s Big Three. Gooden scored 20 points for his highest total since joining the team last month, and the Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 99-89 Tuesday night in their first game since learning an ankle injury would sideline Ginobili for the rest of the season… Tim Duncan had 25 points and 15 rebounds while Tony Parker added 21 points and 10 assists, but it was an unexpected boost off the bench that helped end Oklahoma City’s inexplicable mastery of the Spurs in recent weeks… Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 24 points. Jeff Green added 16 points and Thabo Sefolosha had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Granger scores 24, Pacers beat Thunder 117-99
The AP reports: Danny Granger scored 24 points, Troy Murphy added 22 points and nine rebounds, and the Pacers kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 117-99 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night… Roy Hibbert added 17 points, Jarrett Jack scored 14 and Brandon Rush had 13 points for the Pacers as all five starters reached double figures. T.J. Ford also had 12 points off the bench… Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 25 points and Nick Collison scored 15. Rookie D.J. White added 14 points in his NBA debut after missing the first five months of the season following jaw surgery.
Thunder recall two from D-League
Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced that the team has recalled forward D.J. White and guard Kyle Weaver from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
White has appeared in six games (five starts) for the 66ers during three assignments to the D-League. The 6-9 forward averaged 18.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 31 minutes per game while with Tulsa.
Weaver saw action in two games (two starts) during his first assignment to the 66ers. The 6-6 guard averaged 17 points, 9.0 assists and 7.5 rebounds in 44 minutes per game.
Both players will practice with the Thunder today.
Aldridge pushes Blazers past Thunder 107-72
The AP reports: LaMarcus Aldridge had 35 points and a career-high 18 rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers added to their string of blowouts, routing Oklahoma City 107-72 on Friday night. The Blazers moved into position to clinch a playoff spot with a victory or a Phoenix loss. The Suns beat Sacramento on Friday night… Brandon Roy added 15 points, and Steve Blake had 14 points and 10 assists for Portland. Kevin Durant, another one of Barnes’ former pupils, led the Thunder with 13 points. Jeff Green scored 12 points, and Shaun Livingston made his Oklahoma City debut with 10 points off the bench.
Thunder assign two to D-League
Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced that the team has assigned forward D.J. White and guard Kyle Weaver to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
This is the third time this season that White has been assigned to Tulsa. In four games D-League contests this season White is averaging 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 30.8 minutes.
Weaver is being assigned to Tulsa for the first time this season. The Washington State product has appeared in 49 games for the Thunder this season including 17 starts. Weaver has averaged 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 20 minutes per contests.
Both players are expected to be in uniform tonight when the 66ers face the Austin Toros.
Hornets sting Kings on Butler’s 3 as time expires
The AP reports: Rasual Butler hit a 3-pointer as time expired to cap a final minute full of dramatic plays, and the Hornets improbably survived the Kings’ late rally for a 111-110 victory on Tuesday night, improving their playoff position by the slimmest of margins… David West matched his career high with 40 points despite injuring his ankle in the second quarter, and Chris Paul had 15 points and 15 assists as the Hornets snatched a win from the Kings, who thought they had it when Udrih beat the shot clock with a fallaway that looked like a terrible idea until it went in. Kings owner Gavin Maloof leaped onto the court to celebrate, and Divac beamed with pride… Andres Nocioni hit five 3-pointers while scoring 23 points and Kevin Martin added 20 for the Kings, who hung Divac’s No. 21 jersey in the Arco rafters during a halftime ceremony. Francisco Garcia scored 19 points, hitting two big shots and blocking Paul’s layup from behind in the final 2 minutes, yet Sacramento still failed to win consecutive games for the first time since early November.
Durant scores 31 as Thunder stun Spurs again
The AP reports: Kevin Durant scored 31 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder continued to torment the San Antonio Spurs with a 96-95 victory Tuesday night… Russell Westbrook had 16 points and 10 assists for the Thunder, who fought off a furious rally from the Spurs to break a three-game losing streak and win in San Antonio for the first time since 2004.
InsideHoops.com notes: For the Spurs, Tim Duncan shot 9-of-12 for 21 points and 12 rebounds. Manu Ginobili scored 17, and Tony Parker was quiet with 11 points and as many turnovers as assists. Mike Finley shot just 5-of-16, and no one else stepped up.
OKC Thunder sign Shaun Livingston
The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed guard Shaun Livingston to a multi-year deal, Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.
Livingston, 23, is being called-up from the NBA Developmental League’s Tulsa 66ers, where he averaged 9.5 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 29.4 minutes in 11 games (10 starts). At the time of his call-up, the 6’7’’ guard ranked seventh in the D-League in assists (6.0). He scored a season-high 22 points on March 27 at Rio Grande Valley Vipers and dished out a season-best 11 assists against Iowa Energy on March 12.
Originally selected by the L.A. Clippers in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft (#4 overall), he has appeared in 149 NBA games with L.A. Clippers and Miami. The Peoria, Illinois native owns career averages of 7.3 points, 4.7 assists, 3.1 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per contest.
Livingston, who will wear jersey #14 with the Thunder, becomes the 19th Call-Up of the 2008-09 season and the 137th player since the league began play in 2001.