The AP reports: Jeff Green had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Russell Westbrook added 25 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 99-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. The Thunder won despite playing without Kevin Durant, the league’s fourth-leading scorer with a 26.0 average, who suffered a right ankle sprain in Friday night’s 110-108 overtime loss to Dallas. Durant is listed as day-to-day. Thabo Sefolosha, playing only his fourth game for Oklahoma City after a trade from Chicago, recorded 15 points and 11 rebounds, season-highs in both categories. Nenad Krstic also scored 10 points. Rudy Gay scored 20 points to lead Memphis, which lost its seventh straight. O.J. Mayo finished with 18 points, while Mike Conley had 17.
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Kevin Durant out 1-2 weeks
The Oklahoman (Darnell Mayberry) reports: Thunder forward Kevin Durant will miss up to two weeks with a Grade II ankle sprain, according to a team source. Durant is expected to miss seven to 14 days after rolling his right ankle in Friday’s game at Dallas when he stepped on the foot of Mavs forward Josh Howard while driving to the basket with 7:13 left in the first quarter. He remained in the game for about three minutes before walking off the court with a limp.
Mavericks rally to defeat Thunder 110-108 in OT
The AP reports: Even with Oklahoma City missing Kevin Durant, the Dallas Mavericks turned to two of its stars to fend off the Thunder on Friday night. Dirk Nowitzki scored 17 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, Jason Kidd hit two big 3-pointers in the extra period, and the Mavericks overcame a 12-point deficit to beat the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder 110-108… Russell Westbrook, who hit a 3-pointer to send it to overtime, scored 33 points and Green added 28 points for the Thunder, who have lost seven straight. Dallas’ Josh Howard had 13 points and James Singleton added 12 points and nine rebounds.
Kevin Durant’s college jersey retired
The Oklahoman (Darnell Mayberry) reports (via blog): Kevin Durant had his No. 35 jersey retired last night at the University of Texas and called it an “unbelievable” experience… “I told myself I wasn’t going to cry,” Durant said. ”But once they played a video of highlights from when I was there and then unveiled the jersey I got real emotional. It was one of the best days of my life. I’ve come a long way. A lot of people doubted me when I was growing up. A lot of people doubted me and said I wasn’t going to be anything when I went to Texas. So it feels good to prove all those people wrong and shine some light on the university and also Oklahoma City. So I was excited and it was a great time for me and my family.”
Scott Brooks Thunder layup drill
The Oklahoman (Darnell Mayberry ) reports: Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks has implemented a layup drill he calls “Daily Dozen,” an exercise in which Thunder players must make six layups on each side of the basket — an overhand, underhand, reverse left hand, reverse right hand, baby hook shots and a pull-up jumper inside the key. Brooks said the team has performed the drill consistently in the last week, but he wanted to focus on the drill Wednesday after seeing the Thunder miss several layups against Los Angeles on Tuesday night. “We definitely need to improve on shots right around the basket,” Brooks said. “We’re going to try to get it in three or four times a week.”
Bryant leads late surge as Lakers put away Thunder
The AP reports: Kobe Bryant scored 10 of his 36 points in a 3-minute span of the fourth quarter to stave off the Thunder’s comeback bid and lead the Lakers to a 107-93 victory on Tuesday night. He didn’t emerge from the Lakers’ training room until about 40 minutes after the game, but he was in a good mood when he did… Kevin Durant scored 32 to lead Oklahoma City in its sixth straight loss. It was his ninth time scoring at least 30 points in the last 10 games, and the 13th time in 17 games, during a surge that’s landed him right behind Bryant in fourth place in the NBA in scoring. Rookie Kyle Weaver followed his career-best 19-point outing by scoring 16, and Russell Westbrook finished with 14 points for the Thunder.
Don Nelson 1,300th win, Warriors beat Thunder 133-120
The AP reports: Golden State coach Don Nelson earned his 1,300th victory Saturday night, with Stephen Jackson scoring 26 points and Corey Maggette adding 25 in the Warriors’ 133-120 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nelson is just the second coach in NBA history to reach the milestone, joining good friend Lenny Wilkens, who has 1,332 career wins… Kevin Durant scored 32 points for the Thunder, who have lost five straight. Russell Westbrook added 31 points and 11 assists, but Oklahoma City dropped to 3-24 on the road. Jeff Green had 27 points and 15 rebounds for Oklahoma City, but the second-year forward combined with Durant for 12 of the Thunder’s 23 turnovers.
Bulls trade Thabo Sefolosha to Thunder, who waive Saer Sene
The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has traded guard Thabo Sefolosha to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2009 first-round draft pick.
Sefolosha (6-7, 215), in his third season in the NBA, has played in 43 games (14 starts) this season, and averaged 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, 17.1 mpg, .434 from the field, .300 from behind the arc and .840 from the line. Originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round (13th overall) of NBA Draft 2006, his draft rights were traded by Philadelphia to Chicago for the draft rights to Rodney Carney (16th overall) and cash considerations (June 28, 2006).
Sefolosha has played in 183 regular-season contests (40 starts) with Chicago, and tallied averages of 5.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.4 apg and 16.6 mpg. During his time in a Bulls uniform, he shot .428 from the field, .328 from behind the arc and .684 from the free-throw line. Sefolosha, 24, also appeared in nine playoff games with the Bulls, and averaged 3.3 ppg and 1.9 rpg in 11.0 mpg.
“We are excited to add Thabo to our team,“ said Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. “With this trade we add another defensive-minded perimeter player that we feel has the opportunity to grow with our organization.”
Oklahoma City owns three first round picks in the 2009 NBA draft. The Thunder holds the rights to its own pick, the Denver Nuggets pick acquired in the Johan Petro trade and the San Antonio Spurs pick received in the Kurt Thomas deal. Chicago will get the least favorable of the Denver and San Antonio picks.
To make room for Sefolosha on the 15-man roster, the Thunder waived Mouhamed Sene.
Thunder trade Chris Wilcox to Knicks for Malik Rose
Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has acquired forward Malik Rose and cash considerations from the New York Knicks in exchange for forward Chris Wilcox.
“We are pleased to add Malik to our roster,“ said Presti. “He brings a wealth of experience and veteran leadership to our team.”
Rose (6-7/255), a two-time NBA champion currently in his 13th NBA season, owns career averages of 6.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 16.5 minutes in 793 NBA games. He has appeared in 18 games this season with the Knicks, averaging 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 8.9 minutes.
Rose is averaging 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 8.9 minutes in 18 games this season.
Wilcox, 6-10, 235-pounds, was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the eighth overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft out of the University of Maryland. The Raleigh, NC-native has career averages of 9.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.40 blocks in 423 career games (211 starts) over seven NBA seasons with Oklahoma City/Seattle and Los Angeles Clippers. Wilcox averaged 13.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 62 games (55 starts) with Seattle during the 2007-08 season. He is averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds over 19.4 minutes in 37 games (six starts) during 2008-09 campaign.
“Chris is a gifted athletic big man that brings toughness and solidifies our interior defense,” Head Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Larry fits nicely in our backcourt. He is extremely athletic and a tough defender with a solid overall game.”
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Tyson Chandler fails physical, traded voided, returns to Hornets
The New Orleans Hornets announced today that center Tyson Chandler will return to the Hornets after the original trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder was rescinded. The Thunder’s medical staff failed to clear Chandler after the physical.
“We were pleased to add Tyson to the Thunder roster,” said Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti . “During the course of the physical examination and outside consultations some questions arose that gave us cause for concern. We felt that this course of action was the best for our organization.”
“We welcome Tyson back with open arms,” said Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower. “We went into this trade to garner more frontcourt depth to add to our team as we continue our push towards the playoffs. We expect Tyson and the rest of our big guys to step up to the challenge.”
Forward Joe Smith, center Chris Wilcox and the draft rights to center Devon Hardin will immediately rejoin the Thunder.
Chandler is averaging 8.8 points and 8.3 rebounds this season through 32 games (all starts). He averaged a career-best 11.8 points to go along with 11.7 rebounds in 79 games (all starts) for the Hornets last season.
Chandler will re-join the Hornets in Los Angeles before their game against the Lakers on Friday.
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