The Memphis Grizzlies rallied back to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 103-97 in overtime Monday night, and they’re now just one win from advancing to the Western Conference Finals. Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 24 points and five assists to push the Thunder to the brink of elimination as they’ve lost three straight for only the second time this year.

Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph both finished with double-doubles on the night as the Grizzlies fought their way back after struggling early in the contest. The Thunder led by as much as 17 points in the first half, but the Grizzlies slowly cut the lead and went on a 12-point swing in the third quarter to tie the game.

The Thunder couldn’t miss from the floor to start the game and they jumped out to a 29-18 lead to end the first quarter, their largest lead in the series. Segre Ibaka was on fire as he dropped nine points and seven rebounds in the first 12 minutes of the contest.

Ibaka would finish with 17 points and 14 rebounds on the night, while Kevin Durant led all scorers with 27 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Durant went cold in the second half and shot 2-for-13 in the fourth quarter and overtime combined for five points.

The 24-year-old made a layup in the final seconds to force overtime, but the Thunder never found a rhythm and shot one-for-eight as a team while being outscored 9-3 in the extra frame.

The Memphis Grizzlies can now eliminate the Thunder on Wednesday night on the road in Game 5. Oklahoma City’s only win this series came at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Game 1. The Grizzlies have won every game since and seven of their last eight, including every home game this postseason.

Head coach Lionel Hollins was very pleased with his team’s energy on Monday as they fought back to push their series lead to 3-1 as they head back to Oklahoma City.

“We are a team that just plays hard and doesn’t quit,” Hollins said after the game. “We scratch. We claw. They said grit and grind. I don’t know what the heck that means, but we go out and we just battle. We compete.”

The Thunder will look to regroup back home as they are now forced to win out if they hope to move on to the conference finals. The Grizzlies have no plans of letting the Thunder back in the series, and they will look to continue rolling in Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Can the Thunder fend off elimination in Game 5, or will the Grizzlies reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history?

[Image via Mark Runyon | Basketball Schedule]

Grizzlies Top Thunder 103-97 In OT For 3-1 Series Lead [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

“Chunky” cheerleader Kelsey Williams has responded to a blog that suggested she was too weighty to be an Oklahoma City Thunder cheerleader.

Appearing on Wednesday’s Good Morning America, Williams admitted to being “embarrassed and devastated” after reading the words of CBS Houston blogger Claire Crawford, who criticized her for ”having ‘pudginess’ around her waistline.”

Williams, who’s been waving her pom-poms in the NBA for three years, told the breakfast TV show, “I got online and was reading the article and my heart sank. I was definitely embarrassed and just devastated.”

When asked what she’d like to say to Crawford, the “chunky” cheerleader responded:

“Shame on you. I mean, you are a woman. You know exactly what we all go through on a daily basis just being a woman. Shame on you.”

Williams added that she works out “three to four” hours a day, and wears a size four. “I’ve always had more of an athletic build, different than the slender ballerina that some people may think of as a dancer,” she explained. “That’s just not me.”

The Oklahoma City native hasn’t been deterred from cheerleading altogether, but did admit her first on-court appearance after the Crawford’s post went viral was difficult:

“My first game back, I was really scared. I had a feeling a lot of people would be looking for me, just because I’m me now. [...] I had a huge knot in my stomach [before going on court]. But once I was back on court, it felt normal. It felt good to be back.”

However, Williams seems to have forgiven Crawford. She told GMA:

“I have so much love in me. Sending hate her way would do nothing. What’s done is done. I’m just going to keep my chin up.”

As it happens, CBS Houston wasn’t so tolerant: Crawford has reportedly been fired since posting her blog.

You can watch the so-called “chunky” cheerleader’s response below:

‘Chunky’ Cheerleader Responds To Blogger: ‘I’m A Size Four’ [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Houston Rockets have forced a Game 6 after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 107-100 on Wednesday night. James Harden led the way with 31 points, eight rebounds, and three assists against his old team.

The Thunder made a late run against the Rockets but failed to fully recover after falling behind early in the game. The Rockets got off to hot start as Harden made his first seven three-pointers for an early lead on the road.

The 23-year-old wasn’t expected to make much of an impact in Game 5 after missing most of the Rockets’ shootaround early Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms. The flu couldn’t stop Harden and neither could the Thunder as the Rockets went on to force a Game 6.

Outside of Harden’s big night, center Omer Asik pitched in 21 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Asik hadn’t scored more than nine points in each of the first three games of the series but has come on strong of late.

Every Rockets’ starter finished in double-figures in Game 5 and the team combined to shoot 47 percent from the floor. The Thunder managed to stay in the game throughout, even with the Rockets’ pressure on both sides of the court.

Kevin Durant led all scorers with 36 points but it wasn’t enough to bridge the gap in the final minutes. The Thunder’s strategy to send Omer Asik to the line for free throws in the final minutes didn’t pay off as Asik hit 8-of-12 to seal the win for the Rockets.

Here’s highlights of Game 5 if you missed it:

Jeremy Lin missed his second straight game due to a bruised chest muscle but should return for Game 6. The Thunder lost Russell Westbrook in Game 2 due to a right knee injury and have lost two-of-three since.

Westbrook underwent knee surgery this past Saturday and the Thunder will now have to move on without him. The series returns to Houston for Game 6 and a Rockets’ win will bring it right back to Oklahoma City for the final match-up on Sunday.

The Houston Rockets have won two straight games, but can they win two more to knock out the Oklahoma City Thunder after falling behind 3-0 to start the series?

[Image via Derral Chen]

James Harden Lifts Rockets Past Thunder In Game 5 [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kelsey Williams, an Oklahoma City Thunder cheerleader, was called out last week with this harsh question: “Is this chick ‘too chunky’ to be a cheerleader?” CBS Houston sports blogger Anna-Megan Raley, who writes under the pen name of Claire Crawford, claimed that people in Oklahoma are complaining that the blonde is a tad pudgy around the waistline. Meow.

CBS Houston removed the Mean Girls style post after complaints from outraged fans.

The infamous item included a rather harsh poll that asked readers to vote on what they thought about Kelsey Williams’ figure. One of the choices was “She has no business wearing that outfit in front of people.”

Just in case you couldn’t figure out what Crawford thought of Williams’ shape, she spelled it out in words of one syllable: “[N]ot every man likes women to be toothpick skinny. I’d say most men prefer a little extra meat on her bones.”

I don’t know how men read a comment like that, but women know that the blogger just called Kelsey Williams F-A-T fat.

Now I don’t know about you, but I just don’t see it. Yet, if there’s a personal history between the two women, it hasn’t been revealed to the public.

It has been reported that Crawford A.K.A. Raley once tried out to be a cheerleader herself. Hmm. Jealous and bitter much?

Since the words “healthy” and “womanly” are also too often used as code words for being overweight, I have mixed feelings about the blonde beauty’s initial Twitter response:

“To be womanly always, discouraged never”

— Kelsey Self Williams (@KelseyBWilliams) April 24, 2013

After fans pointed out that she couldn’t reasonably be considered all that big, she had a happier update:

We wouldn’t know what blessings were if we didn’t go through trials. Thank you to EVERYONE for the compassion and love today. I’m in awe.

— Kelsey Self Williams (@KelseyBWilliams) April 25, 2013

Here’s a photo posted by Kelsey Williams on Twitter. Now maybe she picked out the most flattering image, but I think you’d have to have a pretty wild imagination to call her “too chunky to cheer” for the NBA.

What’s your take on the Kelsey Williams Oklahoma City Thunder cheerleading debate?

[Oklahoma City Thunder versus Celtics photo by Yzukerman via Creative Commons]

Oklahoma City Thunder Cheerleader Kelsey Williams Called Too Chunky is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Oklahoma City Thunder ran away from the Houston Rockets in the second half Sunday night as they took game one 120-91. Kevin Durant led the way with 24 points as James Harden returned to Chesapeake Energy Arena for the first time as a playoff foe.

This time last season, Harden had a pivotal role in the Thunder’s playoff run that fell short of a title after losing to the Miami Heat in the finals. This year, Harden will have to beat his old team if he hopes to make it out of the first round of the Western Conference.

The Thunder jumped out to an early 11-point lead before the Rockets stormed back to tie the game in the second quarter. Just before the half, Oklahoma City went on a 14-1 run to regain control, and their defense took over from there.

The Thunder went on to hold the Rockets to 36  percent shooting from the field and led by more than 30 points for most of the second half. James Harden didn’t see the floor in the fourth quarter while Oklahoma City’s reserves finished off the Rockets.

Harden led the Rockets with 20 points and six rebounds in the loss. Patrick Beverley added 11 points while Carlos Delfino pitched in 10 points off the bench. No other Rockets player finished in double-figures as shooting woes and a stagnant offense led to the game one blowout.

Russell Westbrook ran the Thunder offense from the top of the key and added a double-double to compliment Durant’s big night. The 24-year-old finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in just over 30 minutes on the court.

Serge Ibaka made his presence felt in the post and ended with 17 points and seven rebounds while Kevin Martin added 16 points off the bench for the Thunder. Durant was impressed with his team’s defensive effort Sunday night as the Thunder took a one-game lead.

“We just wanna try to make them uncomfortable every time down,” Durant said after the game. “But that goes for the offensive end. We gotta be disciplined and taking good shots and making the right plays.”

Game two will be Wednesday night as the Rockets look to move past Sunday’s defeat and even the series at one. Their shooting will have to be much better if they plan on leaving Oklahoma City with a split.

Can Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder keep up the pressure in game two as the Houston Rockets look to get back on track and end their shooting woes?

[Image via Keith Allison]

Thunder Top Rockets 120-91 In Game 1 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kevin Durant won’t play tonight, which means Carmelo Anthony wins the NBA scoring title by default.

The Oklahoma City Thunder play the Milwaukee Bucks this evening in the final game of the regular season. With 60 wins (the team’s best-ever season), OKC already clinched the number one seed in the NBA Western Conference heading into the playoffs, making tonight’s game meaningless.

Durant, OKC’s superstar small forward who went pro after one season with the University of Texas, announced this morning that he won’t play on this Instagram account: “SITTING OUT TONIGHT’S GAME, if you disappointed I didn’t try to go for the scoring title, oh well!!”

Durant, who averaged 28.1 points per game this season (51 percent), won the scoring title in 2010, 2011, and 2012. He would have needed to score 70 points tonight to overtake the Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony, who is averaging 28.7 points per game. That would be a tall order, but Durant has the capacity to score virtually at will. And there is a precedent. In 1994, David Thompson dropped 71 points on the last day of the season to overcome Shaquille O’Neal for league scoring honors. Only six other players in NBA history have captured scoring honors three times in a row.

The team decided, however, that, in the big picture, the risk involved in going for a fourth consecutive scoring title isn’t worth it. Watching the game from the sidelines, for example, prevents Durant from suffering some kind of freak injury right before the playoffs start. “I definitely don’t want to sit out tonight, but our medical staff and coaches think it’s a good idea,” Durant commented.

Thunder head coach Scott Brooks praised Durant for his unselfish play this season: “I give Kevin a lot of credit, because maybe 10 games ago, if he was really focused on trying to get it four years in a row, he could have got it easily. Many times … he was trying to get a triple-double. And when you try to get 10 assists, that means you’re not trying to score.”

On the accomplishment of 60 wins, Durant had this to say: “It feels good. We’ve still got a lot of work to do … We’ve never done it here before. It’s new to us, but it feels good. It shows our progression as a franchise each and every year.”

Are you disappointed that Durant won’t play tonight?

Kevin Durant Benched, Concedes NBA Scoring Title To Melo On Instagram is a post from: The Inquisitr

The New York Knicks held off the Oklahoma City Thunder 125-120 Sunday for their 12th straight win, the longest active streak in the NBA. Carmelo Anthony tied a career-high with 50 points last Tuesday against the Heat and led the Knicks again Sunday with 36 points and 12 rebounds.

The win over the Thunder gave the Knicks their first 50-win season in 13 years as they inch closer to clinching the Atlantic Division over the Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks hold a six game lead over the Nets with six games remaining in the regular season.

Anthony came into the contest against the Thunder with three-straight games of 40 or more points, but was more of a threat on the boards Sunday. Anthony finished the game with a season-high nine offensive rebounds as the Knicks held off a late Thunder rally.

The Knicks led by as much as 12 points early in the second half, but Russell Westbrook and company stormed back and took the lead with less than seven minutes left in the game. Westbrook led all scorers with 37 points, and added 11 rebounds and eight assists in the contest.

Kevin Durant gave the Thunder the lead after driving the lane and sinking a short jumper at the 6:57 mark before J.R. Smith took control for the Knicks. Durant finished with 27 points and seven assists while Smith hit two key shots in the final minutes to seal the win for New York.

Smith finished with 22 points and seven rebounds off the bench, including a three-pointer with 56.8 seconds left to close the door on the Thunder. The loss snapped Oklahoma City’s three-game winning streak and gave Anthony a slight lead over Durant for the scoring title.

Anthony is just ahead of Durant with an average of 28.44 points a game but was more concerned with the big win.

“It’s probably one of the biggest wins we’ve had in a long time,” Anthony said in the locker room. “This is a tough place to win and we came out here and did it.”

The Knicks now move on to face the struggling Washington Wizards on Tuesday with less than two weeks left in the season and the playoffs ahead of them. All eight spots in the Eastern Conference have been clinched, and, if nothing changes over the next week, the Knicks will face the Boston Celtics in the first round.

The Knicks are as hot as anyone in the NBA right now but will need to keep up the strong play if they hope to make a run in the playoffs. The Miami Heat will surely be there, and the Knicks will have to beat them to have a shot at the NBA Championship, barring an upset in the first two rounds.

Do the Knicks have the fire power and depth to win it all in 2013?

[Image via Keith Allison]

Knicks Hold Off Thunder, Win 12th Straight Game is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Denver Nuggets won 114-104 over the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday for their 13th straight win. The Nuggets’ Andre Miller celebrated his birthday with 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds on the way to the big win against the Thunder.

Miller turned 37-years-old Tuesday, and came off the bench to help hold off the Thunder in the fourth quarter.Miller scored 13 points in the final frame, including five-of-six free throws in the final minute to seal the victory for the Nuggets.

The Nuggets 13-game winning streak is the longest in franchise history since joining the NBA in 1976. The Nuggets are now just five games back in the West after beating Kevin Durant and the Thunder Tuesday.

Durant led all scorers with 34 points, but the Thunder failed to hold the lead early in the second half and the Nuggets rolled on to their 13th straight win. The Nuggets have now beat the Thunder three times this season, being the only team in the NBA to do so.

Russell Westbrook scored 25 points in the loss to the Nuggets, as the Thunder lost for only the fifth time at home this season. The Thunder now go on the road and face the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday before a match-up with the struggling Orlando Magic on Friday.

Denver is undefeated in March, and take on the Philadelphia 76ers at home on Thursday. The Nuggets beat the Thunder twice during their 13-game winning streak, but won’t face them again this season unless they meet again in the playoffs.

Andre Miller stole the show Tuesday and only played 23 minutes in the game. Most of those minutes came in the fourth quarter when the Nuggets needed it most, and the birthday boy responded with back-to-back jumpers and clutch free throws.

Kenneth Faried was great in the paint for the Nuggets, finishing with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Ty Lawson added 25 points to offset Andre Iguodala’s tough night. Iguodala shot 5-for-14 from the field, and missed all four three-pointers he attempted.

The Nuggets are simply running over Western Conference teams, as eight of their 13 straight wins have come against teams in the West.    With 12 games left, and 10 of them being against teams in the West, the Nuggets have a good chance of  moving into a better position going into the playoffs. Does the Nuggets win over the Thunder prove they are legitimate NBA title contenders?

Nuggets Win 13th Straight, Beat Thunder 114-104 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Derek Fisher was booed by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban during his return to Dallas on Sunday.

Fisher drew the ire of Cuban and fans alike after he signed with the Thunder two months after being released from his contract with the Mavericks. The 38-year-old wasn’t given a warm welcome when he stepped into Sunday’s game shortly before it ended.

Mark Cuban made his intentions clear before the game.

“I’ll just boo him like hopefully everybody else,” the Mavericks owner said.

He certainly wasn’t alone. Fans in the stadium for the game on Sunday also booed Fisher as he made his way onto the court. The boos soon turned to cheers when the point guard received his first foul shortly after entering the game.

The tension between Mark Cuban and Derek Fisher started after the Mavericks owner signed the point guard to a free-agent contract on November 29. Fisher was released on December 22 after stating that he missed his family.

However, Fisher signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder roughly two months after parting ways with the Mavericks. Cuban said he felt betrayed.

Cuban explained to the Star-Telegram:

“My personality is to try and help somebody, particularly somebody that I thought one thing about, even if it didn’t turn out to be that way And so I was just trying to be nice and help. But usually when you help somebody, you expect some semblance of loyalty back. When you don’t get it, then it’s more disappointing.”

Mark Cuban added that he offered Fisher some positive advice prior to signing him. After the Mavericks owner took a liking to the point guard, he decided to sign him to the team.

“I thought I offered him some positive encouragement and advice, and then we signed him. So I expected a different turnout than what happened, and so that’s the way it goes. I have my big boy pants on, and that’s the NBA,” Cuban said.

Are you a fan of Derek Fisher? Do you think Mark Cuban should have booed the point guard during Sunday’s game?

[Top Image by Photo Works / Shutterstock.com - Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com]

Derek Fisher Booed By Mark Cuban, Fans In Dallas is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Oklahoma City Thunder win 95-94 in a duel to the end against the New York Knicks Thursday. Carmelo Anthony didn’t make an appearance after leaving the game Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Anthony fell to the floor after taking a pass at about half court in the second quarter against the Cavaliers. Anthony held his right knee in pain before leaving the game.

Kevin Durant scored 34 points and added eight rebounds and six assists in the win over the Knicks. Russell Westbrook finished with 21 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

The Thunder were down six points going into the final quarter before Durant sank two key free throws with just over a minute left in the game. J.R. Smith led the Knicks with 36 points but missed a turnaround jumper as time expired to end the game.

Smith came off the bench to lead everyone on the floor in scoring, including Durant and Westbrook. Amare Stoudemire came off the bench as well, scoring 16 points and adding eight rebounds in nearly 29 minutes of play.

Serge Ibaka and Kevin Martin were the only other Thunder players in double-figures Thursday as Oklahoma City won their third straight game. The Thunder beat both the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers earlier this week before sneaking past the Knicks.

The New York Knicks practically gave away the game in the fourth, shooting just 4 for 18 as a team on the quarter. The Knicks went one for nine behind the arc during the fourth as well, opening the door about as wide as you can for a team that is as talented as any in the Thunder.

The Knicks are now 37-22 and take on the Utah Jazz Saturday. The Knicks have been the best team in the Atlantic Division and are second only to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have posted even better numbers than the Knicks, at 45-16 on the season. The Thunder face off with the worst team in the league Friday, the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats have lost eight straight games.

Carmelo Anthony is day-to-day, and Knicks head coach Mike Woodson is optimistic Anthony will be on the floor Saturday against the Jazz. Whether Anthony is ready or not, you can be sure J.R. Smith will continue to see a lot of time.

Kevin Durant is posting an MVP-like season about as quietly as you can. Durant is averaging 28.7 points a game, tops in the NBA. LeBron James is expected to duel it out with Durant for the MVP as we close in on the playoffs.

The Thunder hold a five game lead over the Denver Nuggets in the Northwest and are just two-and-a-half games back of the San Antonio Spurs in the conference. The Thunder win and continue to move closer to a playoff berth as questions arise in New York over the knee injury to Carmelo Anthony that has kept him sidelined all week.

Thunder Win As Anthony Sits For Knicks is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-105 Tuesday night in a game that saw Kobe Bryant leave for about five minutes due to an elbow injury. Bryant took a shot to his right elbow, missing a few possessions before returning to score 30 points.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 37 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Kevin Durant added 26 points and nine rebounds as the Thunder held off the Lakers.

The Thunder took a 17-point lead into the second half before the Lakers pulled within nine to start the fourth quarter. Steve Nash had 20 points and four assists in the losing effort while Dwight Howard had just six points. Howard added a whopping 16 rebounds, picking up the slack on the boards missed by losing Pau Gasol to injury for 6-8 weeks.

Kobe Bryant showed struggles with his elbow all night, holding it in pain as he went up and down the court. Bryant made just eight of 19 shots in the game, citing his elbow for the low scoring percentage.

“Every time you try to bend your elbow or extend it, there’s a little resistance and a lot of pain,” Bryant said after the loss to the Thunder.

The Lakers made big changes to their team this past offseason, only to see each of their new stars spend time off the court due to injury. Both Dwight Howard and Steve Nash missed games to start the season and the Lakers have yet to look like an NBA championship caliber team.

The Los Angeles Lakers are now two and a half games behind the Utah Jazz for the last place in the Western Conference playoffs. The Lakers next take the court Wednesday in New Orleans against the NBA-owned Hornets.

The Hornets have been one of the worst teams in the Western Conference all season, posting a 21-40 record. Only the Sacramento Kings have a worse record in the West at 21-41.

The Lakers follow up Wednesday’s game with a match-up Friday against the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors are last in the Atlantic Division and have currently lost five games in a row. The back-to-back games with less-than-mediocre teams may be just what the Lakers need to get back on track.

Kobe Bryant will not sit due to his elbow injury, making the case that every game is important for Los Angeles going forward. The Oklahoma City Thunder take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden Thursday and look to continue their success on the road. The Thunder have won 17 road games, the third-most road wins in the Western Conference.

Kobe Bryant’s injury seemed to be nothing more than a simple excuse for his struggles in Oklahoma City Tuesday night. The Thunder beat the Lakers to erase any momentum they had coming off a big win against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

Thunder Beat Lakers, Kobe Bryant Injures Elbow is a post from: The Inquisitr

Seattle, WA — Robert Swift has apparently overstayed his welcome.

The former NBA player refuses to leave his home even after it was foreclosed on by the bank and sold off to a new owner. The property went into foreclosure last summer.

Swift, who played for the NBA Seattle SuperSonics and the Oklahoma City Thunder and in Japan, pocketed somewhere in the range of $12 to $20 million in his basketball career, but has evidently fallen on hard times.

He paid about $1 million for the house an upscale Seattle suburb in 2006, but lost the place evidently after not keeping up with the mortgage payments. The new owner acquired the 6,000 square foot property for about 50 cents on the dollar but she hasn’t been able to move in because Swift won’t leave.

Robert Swift was Seattle’s first-round draft choice with the 12th overall pick right out of high school in 2004. Yahoo! Sports explains that Swift “was a favorite amongst several well-respected NBA GMs, but his game never found a groove and he last played in the NBA back in 2009.”

According to the Daily Mail, the home needs a lot of work:

“The garden is littered with empty Budweiser, Four Loko and Coors Light cans, while a sign attached to the front door reads ‘Danger men drinking.’

“A garage window has a bullet hole in it, while outside sit several cars which look like they haven’t moved in some time. One is missing a bonnet.”

KOMO News reports that is Swift, 27, has stayed beyond a court-ordered grace period, and if he doesn’t exit the premises by the end of the month, he will likely be forcibly removed by sheriff’s deputies. So it seems his departure is … not too swift.

[Top image credit: STB-1]

Former NBA Player Squatting In Foreclosed Home [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Oklahoma City Thunder continued their ongoing hot streak on Wednesday as they outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 100-92.

Led by brilliant performances by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, the Thunder captured its 12th straight win, the longest winning streak for the franchise since 1996 when it had a 14-game winning streak as the Seattle SuperSonics.

During the game, Durant set a season high with 41 points while Westbrook chipped in 27 points and a game-high 11 assists. Durant, who scored 18 of his points in the fourth quarter alone, finished the game 14-for-23 from the floor, 4-for-8 from deep, and nailed nine of his 10 free throws. He also added 13 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.

No other Thunder player scored in double figures.

“There’s going to be nights where one has the hot hand and there’s going to be other nights the other does,” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks after Wednesday’s game.

Meanwhile for the Atlanta Hawks (15-8) guard Jeff Teague led the scoring with 19 points. Josh Smith had 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Al Horford and Lou Williams each scored 13 points.

With the win, Oklahoma City (21-4) improved the NBA’s best record and atoned for a 104-95 home loss to the Hawks in early November.

ESPN notes that loss left Oklahoma City 1-2; it is 20-2 since then and hasn’t lost since November 23 at Boston. The Thunder’s next two games come on the road, a Thursday night visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves followed by a Christmas Day Finals rematch with LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Check out highlights from Wednesday’s Oklahoma City Thunder vs Atlanta Hawks game in the video below:

Kevin Durant Drops 41 Points As Oklahoma City Thunder Wins 12th Straight [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Spurs’ Stephen Jackson was recently fined for a hostile tweet he direct towards Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka, according to Yahoo! News.

It’s being reported that Jackson may have been sticking up for his former teammate Metta World Peace, who is now playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Metta and Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka had a bit of a confrontation during Friday’s game, prompting Jackson to jump to his friend’s defense on the micro-blogging website.

“Next time he run up on me im goin in his mouth. That’s a promise. He doin 2 much,” Jackson tweeted. The comment has resulted in a $25,000 fine.

After NBA Executive Vice President Stu Jackson announced the punishment, the Spurs’ player deleted the offending comment from Twitter and apologized for his behavior.

“I apologize to Serge Ibaka, the NBA, and to all my fans for the comments I made,” Jackson wrote. “It was unprofessional and childish.”

ESPN reports that Spurs general manager RC Buford was supportive of the fine levied against Jackson for his behavior.

“The recent public comments made by Stephen Jackson are absolutely unacceptable, cannot be tolerated and do not reflect the standards held by the San Antonio Spurs,” Buford explained.

If there’s any ill will between the players, then it could manifest when the Spurs square off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 17.

Stephen Jackson and Metta World Peace played for the Indiana Pacers during 2004. World Peace, who was once known as Ron Artest, received a extended vacation from professional basketball after participating in the so-called “Malice at the Palace” fight after a game in Detroit.

For his role in the scuffle, Metta was suspended for a whopping 86 games. Jackson was sentenced to the bench for 30 games. Given their history, it’s not altogether surprising that Stephen jumped to his former teammate’s defense.

Do you think Stephen Jackson should have been fined by the NBA for making an inappropriate tweet?

Stephen Jackson Fined For Tweet By The NBA is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kevin Durant scored his first career triple double as he led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a victory over the Golden State Warriors.

As ESPN noted, the triple double comes as Kevin Durant has become determined not to be seen as just a scorer. In leading the Thunder to a 119-109 win on Sunday, he notched 25 points, 13 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assist.

Getting his first career triple double wasn’t a big deal for Kevin Durant.

“I really didn’t care, to be honest. If it came, then that’s cool. If it didn’t, then just keep playing,” Durant said. “It feels good to get one. Now, I guess I’ve got a little monkey off my back. I can just go out there and play.”

Kevin Durant has made it his mission to expand his game this year, and, though his assists are up this year, so too are his turnovers. He was averaging four per game entering Sunday’s contest, fourth worse in the NBA.

He says it’s all part of the journey to becoming a more well-rounded player.

“There’s going to be nights where I have to score 30. There’s going to be nights where I have to have seven or eight assists,” Durant said. “So, I’m just trying to be an all-around player and just continue to help my team win.”

In Sunday’s game, Kevin Durant showed that improvement, turning the ball over only two times.

As The Associated Press noted, Thunder coach Scott Brooks said that his star player is too much to handle for opposing teams as his triple double on Sunday demonstrated.

”Some guys can just pass, some guys can just shoot, some guys can just rebound. Obviously, with Kevin, he can do many things on the floor and we always have to challenge him because we don’t know how good he will end up being,” Brooks said of Kevin Durant.

Kevin Durant Notches First Career Triple Double As Thunder Win is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sixth Man of the Year James Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night after the Oklahoma City Thunder were unable to work out an extension.

In the trade the Thunder acquired Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb alongside two first-round picks and one second-round pick. Along with those trades Oklahoma City also sent Cole Adrich and forwards Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward to Houston.

Had Oklahoma failed to trade Harden he would have become a restricted free agent next July, a fact that would likely have become a distraction. Oklahoma had to act quickly to secure a deal before unrestricted free access would have been placed on Harden this coming Wednesday.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein the Houston Rockets plan to sign Harden to his full contract request. The Oklahoma City Thunder had hoped to secure Harden for $55.5 million over four years, $4.5 million less than what Harden asked to receive.

In a statement following the trade Thunder general manager Sam Presti said:

“We wanted to sign James to an extension, but at the end of the day, these situations have to work for all those involved. Our ownership group again showed their commitment to the organization with several significant offers.

We were unable to reach a mutual agreement, and therefore executed a trade that capitalized on the opportunity to bring in a player of Kevin’s caliber, a young talent like Jeremy and draft picks, which will be important to our organizational goal of a sustainable team.”

Last season Harden averaged 16.8 points and 3.7 assists per game. Harden helped his team reach the NBA finals where they lost to the Miami Heat, a series for which Harden struggled.

Over his eight season NBA career James Harden has averaged 18.4 points per game.

James Harden Traded To Houston Rockets is a post from: The Inquisitr

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan has had a major hand in most Bobcats’ personnel decisions, but that approach hasn’t worked, and now Jordan says he will let his front office staff make decisions themselves.

Last season Jordan, one of the NBA’s winningest players, was forced to watch his Bobcats finish with the worst winning percentage in league history, .106. That was apparently the final straw. Fox News reports will Jordan will allow general manager Rich Cho to handle the day-to-day responsibilities of running the team without his interference.

The strategy could pay off. The New England Sports Network, drawing on an analogy tied to Jordan’s playing days, points out that the greatest player in NBA history won titles in the past by passing the ball to role players such as Steve Kerr and John Paxson.

Jordan’s front office career has certainly not lived up to his playing career. As a player, Jordan won six NBA championships and was a perennial all-star and scoring champion. As an executive, he’s remembered for bringing Kwame Brown to Washington with the first overall pick in 2001 and for wasting the third pick in 2006 on Adam Morrison in Charlotte.

Brown averaged more than 10 points per game just once in his career, and Morrison has been out of the league since the Lakers released him in 2010.

Cho, on the other hand, has a system of metrics and analytics that has gained praise. He’s credited with helping turn small market Oklahoma City Thunder into a power, building through the draft and with smart trades while he as the Thunder’s assistant general manager.

Michael Jordan’s a smart man, a shrewd businessman, and, deep down, a winner. While he hasn’t won as an executive yet, it seems he’s realizing that its time for a change in tactics. If Cho’s approach works, it might not be too long before Jordan the executive is no longer a punchline.

Michael Jordan Steps Back From Basketball Operations, Gives GM More Power is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kevin Durant is at the peak of his basketball game, having led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals last season and then the US men’s basketball team to gold later in the summer. But he says his acting still has room for improvement.

The 6-foot-9 star hoops star used the NBA lockout to expand his acting skills, appearing in the Thunderstruck, a family-friendly move about basketball.

“Oh man, that was cool to see myself up on the big screen. It was different, OK, but it was cool,” Durant told the Tulsa World about the movie released Friday.

Kevin Durant actually turned down Thunderstruck when he was first pitched the comedy about switching his otherworldy basketball skills with a clumsy teenager. Producers shelved the project, which was really only intended for Durant, but then the lockout came and suddenly he had the time for the project.

Durant hit the red carpet this week in Oklahoma City for the premiere of Thunderstruck. Although Durant may be the world’s best basketball player at the moment, he says acting was still scary for him.

“Of course, people are going to look at it a little different because I’m a basketball player and I’m doing something different,” Durant told The Associated Press. “A basketball player is what I do. It’s not really just solely who I am. I like to do other things.

“It’s all about conquering your fears. That’s one thing I did with this, stepping in front of a camera and people yelling ‘Action!’ It’s not the norm for me. I did something outside the box, and I’m glad it turned out pretty well.”

As it was being filmed, Kevin Durant wasn’t too high on his acting skills.

“Man, I’d say I’m a 1,” he told the Tulsa World of his acting at the time, laughing. “I’m new to this. I’m trying to do different emotions and make it feel real to people, and it’s not easy.”

But as Thunderstruck is being released, Kevin Durant says his game has improved.

“I’d say about a 5 now as an actor. I’ve gotten better,” Kevin Durant said. “I know that if you work hard you get better. I worked.”

Kevin Durant Looks To Expand His Acting Game With ‘Thunderstruck’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

With the signing, Ibaka, who was all set to become a free agent following the 2012-13 season, becomes the third prominent OKC player to agree to an extension of his rookie contract.

All-Stars Kevin Durant (five years, $94 million through 2015-16) and Russell Westbrook (five years, $78.6 million through 2016-17) previously agreed to maximum deals under the league’s collective bargaining agreement, NewsOK.com notes.

“We are very excited that Serge will continue as a core member of the Thunder for years to come,” general manager Sam Presti said.

Drafted in 2008 with the 24th overall pick, the 22-year-old Ibaka has averaged has averaged 8.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.4 blocks in his three seasons as a professional basketball player.

In 2012, Serge shot 53% from the field while averaging 9.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and a career-high 3.7 blocks per contest. He named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for his efforts.

Born in the Republic of Congo, the 6-foot-10 Ibaka gained citizenship in Spain last year and won a silver playing for that country’s national team at the Olympic Games in London this summer.

NBA.com writes that the Thunder will hold a press conference upon Ibaka’s return to Oklahoma City, following his participation in a youth basketball camp he is hosting in his native Republic of Congo and the Basketball Without Borders initiative with Thunder teammates Cole Aldrich and Hasheem Thabeet in Johannesburg, South Africa.

With Ibaka, Westbrook and Durant all coming back for the 2013-2014 NBA season, the Thunder will now undoubtedly focus their efforts on resigning 2012 Sixth Man of The year winner James Harden.

Serge Ibaka Signs Four-Year, $48 Million Deal With OKC Thunder is a post from: The Inquisitr

Perry Jones III was once considered a top five draft pick. But last night during the NBA draft. Jones’ name continued to fall until finally, the Oklahoma City Thunder, drafted him with the 28th pick.

But that isn’t bad news for Jones III. Perry will be playing for a young Thunder team who could be title contenders for the next few years. He’ll join Kevin Durant, who has won the NBA scoring title for the last three years, and Russell Westbrook.

Jones said:

“It wouldn’t matter to me if they were a contender or not. They are somebody I could see myself playing with… They like to run the floor real well, and they are one of the best teams, and I know I can learn from them. What’s better than learning from one of the best teams? They were in the finals. They have great players, great coach. This is just an opportunity for me to grow.”

Unlike Anthony Davis, Jones stayed in college to play during his sophomore year. That decision may have cost him. According to The Ball Don’t Lie, Jones was expected to go in the top five after his freshman year but Jones III decided to return to Baylor to play one more year with the Bears. Jones put up similar numbers (averaged 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds) but reports surfaced that the young star may have knee problems.

Chad Ford of ESPN.com reports:

“Multiple league sources say NBA team doctors are concerned about a meniscus issue in the knee of Baylor forward Perry Jones III. While opinions among NBA doctors vary on the ramifications of the issue, some teams believe the knee could pose a problem down the road and at some point require surgery.

General manager Sam Presti said that team doctors would evaluate Jones III but said that he wasn’t worried about his new player’s knee.

Presti said:

“We’ve looked at all the information that we’ve had available and we wouldn’t have selected him unless we felt comfortable with all of the information.”

Do you think Perry Jones III will help the OKC Thunder return to the NBA Finals next year?

Perry Jones III Drafted 28th By Oklahoma City Thunder is a post from: The Inquisitr

Oklahoma City Thunder Coach Scott Brooks will soon be a free agent. Brooks, who led his team to the NBA Finals this year only to suffer a disappointing loss against the Miami Heat, hopes to talk with the organization about his contract in the “next few days.”

USA Today reports that Brooks will officially be a free agent at the end of the month. The Thunder have improved every year with Brooks so far and the Thunder are expected to bring Brooks back to OKC next year.

The Washington Post reports that the two parties have had limited opportunities to talk about the new contract. The 2011-12 season saw teams playing games every other night and since the Thunder reached the finals there has been little time to talk about the future.

Brooks told NBA.com that he was proud of his team this year. Brooks said:

“It obviously was a great experience… We have a lot to be proud of. We have a lot that we can improve on also and our guys understand that. Everybody on our team should and will come back a better player.”

Brooks also said that he is looking toward the future and has already handed out assignments to his players to improve for next season. Brooks said:

“I’m going to meet with every player this afternoon and I will discuss (next season.) It’s a long list. I throw a lot of things at guys. I think we have multiple players that can improve on all areas of the game. Then we have some players that have to focus on one or two areas of the game.”

Do you think the Oklahoma City Thunder will be championship contenders next year?

Thunder Coach Scott Brooks Hopes To Discuss Contract In ‘Next Few Days’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lebron James was standing on the sidelines during the final minutes of game four of the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat were able to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in another close game, but it’s not something that they want to try again. Thankfully, James should be good to go tonight for game five.

James suffered leg cramps at the end of game four and was forced to come out of the game. James admitted today that he was still a little sore but doesn’t think that the cramps are going to slow him down at all.

Lebron said:

“I feel a lot better than I did last night. That’s clear. I’m still a little sore because of the muscles just kind of being at an intense level, very tight. I’m still sore. I was able to get some treatment [Tuesday] night. I was able to get some treatment this morning.”

The Miami Heat lead the series 3-1 and with a win tonight James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh could clinch their first title together. Tonight’s game will be in Miami and Heat are hoping to end the series tonight. If they lose, they’ll have to play game 6, and possibly game 7, in Oklahoma city.

Do you think Lebron James will win his first NBA title tonight?

Lebron James Injury: Miami Heat Star Isn’t Worried About Leg Cramps is a post from: The Inquisitr

LeBron James bounced back from left leg cramps in the fourth quarter of Tuesday nights NBA finals match up to hit a 3-point tiebreaking shot with 2:54 remaining in the Miami Heat’s 104-98 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Heat now hold a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

James scored 26 points, grabbed 12 assists and pulled down nine rebounds, only missing his triple-double because he was sitting on the bench towards the end of the game after suffering from leg cramps.

Finishing off the game was Mario Chalmers with 25-points which matched the effort put forth by Dwyane Wade.

The win is a good sign for the Miami Heat, no team in NBA Finals history has blown a 3-1 lead.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were helped along by Westbrook with 43 points while Kevin Durant knocked down 28, however James Harden had another horrible performance, finishing with just eight points on 2-of-10 shooting. Making matters worse Westbrook and Durant were the only Thunder players to known down any points with 16:46 still left on the clock.

After the game Dwayne Wade made a simple statement:

“Whatever it takes. No excuses. You don’t want to leave this arena saying you missed opportunities.”

The biggest help in the game came from Chalmers who was struggling so much in previous games that the Oklahoma City Thunder put Durant on him to avoid further foul trouble, yet he managed to knock down 9 of 15 shots. Chalmers scored more points than he had in the previous three games.

If the Miami Heat win on Friday night they’ll pull off their first NBA championship since LeBron James arrived in town.

LeBron James Lifts Miami Heat Past Oklahoma City Thunder is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder will square off tonight in Miami for game four of the NBA finals. The Heat have won the last two games and currently lead the series 2-1.

The Thunder will enter game four with a must-win attitude.

James Harden, the Thunder’s sixth man, said:

“It’s a Game 7 for us. We win this game tomorrow and tie it up, 2-2, and it’s the best of three with two games left in Oklahoma City. We’ll take that.”

The biggest story before game four came from comments made by Serge Ibaka about Lebron James’ defense.

Ibaka said:

“LeBron is not a good defender… He can play defense for two to three minutes but not 48 minutes. LeBron can’t play (Durant) one-on-one. They’re playing good defense like a team.”

Lebron James, who was named to the NBA’s all defensive team, brushed off Ibaka’s comments.

James said:

“I don’t really care what he says, he’s stupid… Everyone says something to me every series, then (the media) tries to get a quote. It’s stupid. For me as a defender, I just try to make plays and try to keep my body in front of a great player… First of all, I’m not playing 48 minutes, and Kevin’s not playing 48 minutes. I’m not guarding him for 48 minutes. When I’m on him, I’m just trying to make it tough for him to make shots, which he’s going to make.”

The other big story line following the Thunder’s game three loss was the finishing power of Kevin Durant. Durant, who missed a game tying shot at the end of game three (some say he was fouled) said that he isn’t worried about that shot and that he’ll keep shooting in the fourth quarter of game four.

Durant said:

” I’m going to shoot until my arm falls off in the fourth. That’s what I do. I don’t care if I miss it or if I make it. I believe in myself. I really don’t care what people say on the outside or how many points I post in the fourth or what big players have done in the past. All I do is worry about myself. I’m going to keep doing what I do. I’ve got 100 percent confidence in myself that I can do it, and when the fourth quarter comes around next time, I’m going to be as aggressive as I can.”

The Big 3 of Miami have been to the NBA Finals twice in the last two years. This year, the team is trying to quiet their critics after they folded in 2011. Dwyane Wade said that the team, and especially Lebron James, have matured a lot since last season.

Wade said:

“He’s a totally different player,’ Dwyane Wade said. ‘Obviously up until The Finals last year he was having an amazing playoffs. He had a game (Game 3 of the Finals) where he struggled and he kind of let that get into his mind a little bit, and he was thinking too much. Now he’s playing, he’s on attack, and being very aggressive. When he puts his head down to go to the rim, you have no other choice but to foul him or he’s going to finish…. He’s playing aggressive, and that’s the difference obviously from last year to this year, and the difference in our team.’”

Chris Bosh reiterated that sentiment, saying that the Miami Heat are trying to erase the pain of the 2011 NBA Finals.

Bosh said:

“Every day we remind ourselves. We think of that pain we experienced last year. We carry that pain with us.”

OKC’s Big Three have their first chance to prove themselves in the NBA Finals. Russell Westbrook, who had a mediocre game three, said that the team just has to keep playing their game.

Westbrook  said:

“I’m not making no adjustments. Regardless of what anybody says or regardless of what you guys say about how I play, it doesn’t matter. You know, I’m going to play my game regardless of what happens. I’m going to go out and give 110 percent, and try to find a way to help us win the game.”

Derek Fisher, who is Westbrook’s backup, said that Westbrook is right to trust his instincts.

Fisher said:

“We all have to, I think, play a smarter game than what we played in particular in Game 2. But Russell is a phenomenal talent, and he just has to trust his instincts, play his game. But that same focus goes for all of us, Russell, Kevin, James. If there’s two people covering you, somebody else is open, make the pass, and that guy will make the play.”

The 2012 NBA Finals continue tonight at 8 p.m. CST. Who do you think will win game four?

2012 NBA Finals: Quotes Before Game Four is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lebron James had 29 points and 14 rebounds to help the Miami Heat take a 2-1 series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals on Sunday night.

James and the Heat are now only 2 games away from erasing the sting of last years disappointment after a 91-85 win over the Thunder at American Airlines Arena.

“We carry that pain with us,” the Heat’s Chris Bosh said regarding last years loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

“We think about it every day and that really helps us to succeed in this series.”

As reported by ESPN, James had his best Finals performances in games 1 and 2 of this series, topping 30 points both times. He fell short of that mark in game 3, but was able to reach the 20 point mark for the 20th time in the postseason, putting him only 2 shy of Dwayne Wade’s franchise record that was set in the 2006 postseason.

“Just trying to make plays,” James said.

“I told you guys, last year I didn’t make enough game-changing plays, and that’s what I kind of pride myself on. I didn’t do that last year in the Finals. I’m just trying to make game-changing plays, and whatever it takes for our team to win, just trying to step up in key moments and be there for my teammates.”

James’ teammates see a clear difference in their star player as they’ve reached the NBA Finals for the second year in a row and are aiming to bring another title back to Miami.

“He was great. He’s been great for us all playoffs,” Heat forward Udonis Haslem said.

“I don’t know if he looks up at the clock or score sheet, but he knows when we need him to make big plays and come through for us, and he comes through.”

Kevin Durant and the Thunder will have a chance to even the series Tuesday night for Game 4 in Miami.

Miami Heat Take 2-1 Series Lead Over Oklahoma City Thunder is a post from: The Inquisitr

Russell Westbrook has been playing with a wrap around his injured left thumb for the last few days, but coach Scott Brooks expects his guard to play through the pain tonight.

According to Sports Illustrated, Westrbook was taking one-handed shots with his right hand during the Oklahoma City Thunder’s shoot-around this morning. Westbrook removed the wrap at the end of the session to attempt some shots with both hands.

After the shoot-around, Coach Brooks said: “Obviously there’s a little pain but nothing to prevent him from playing the way he can play.”

ESPN reports that Westbook has been playing with the injury since the Western Conference finals. The star guard may have re-injured the thumb during OKC’s victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. Westbrook was not wearing any sort of bandage on this thumb during game one.

Westbrook said:

“I only know one way to play and that is to stay in the attack mode… I can’t change my style now because it got me to this point. That is how my coach and my teammates want me to play and that is all that matters.”

The Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder meet again tonight for game two in OKC.

Russell Westbrook Will Be Playing Through Pain Tonight, Says Coach Brooks is a post from: The Inquisitr

As the Miami Heat prepare for Game 2 of the NBA finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder the team has chosen to remain noncommittal regarding the status of All-Star forward Chris Bosh.

Bosh for his part has remained abused by all the talk of his playing status, noting on Wednesday afternoon:

“I didn’t know it was such a big deal, the starting thing. I just thought people were happy to see me out there.”

Chris Bosh started every game he played in during the regular season and led the Miami Heat through an aggressive playoff run before suffering an abdominal injury during the Eastern Conference semifinals. After a nine-game absence Bosh came off the bench in four games.

During Tuesday’s loss to the City Thunder Bosh played for 34 minutes while grabbing 10 points and five rebounds.

Turning a bit more serious about his goals for Thursday Bosh told ESPN

“I’m a glass is half-full kind of guy. I always look at whatever position I’m, I’m like, ‘This is the best position to be in right now.’ It doesn’t matter to me.”

The Miami Heat were simply outplayed on Tuesday night when Kevin Durant kicked up his game for 36 points while Dwayne Wade failed to impress.

LeBron James has proven throughout the Miami Heat’s playoff run that he can step up when he’s needed most, after coming off a 30 point game I wouldn’t be surprised to see bigger numbers from LeBron which in turn could fire the Miami’s lineup of All-Star players who remained unremarkable in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Miami Heat Remain Noncommittal On Chris Bosh Starter Status is a post from: The Inquisitr

Durant, who scored 17 of his game-high 36 points in the fourth quarter, finished the night 12-of-20 from the field and added eight rebounds as the Thunder rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat Lebron James and the Miami Heat 105-94.

“That’s what they do, they keep on coming,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said following the game. “They’re relentless.”

In addition to Durant’s spectacular play, Thunder guard Russell Westbrook turned around a poor shooting start to finish with 27, points, 11 assists and 8 boards.

Westbrook and Kevin Durant combined for 63 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists. They committed only four turnovers for the entire game and outscored the entire Heat team 41-40 in the second half of the game by themselves.

While James shot the ball well early on and finished the game with 30 points, it was ultimately not enough as Durant was the main defender on LeBron late in the contest, holding him to just 2-for-6 shooting in the fourth quarter.

“They made more plays and made shots in the fourth quarter than we did,” said James in a post-game interview. “We have an opportunity now to have a better game plan for Game 2.’’

NBA.com reports that James has now lost four straight Finals games, dating back to the Heat’s collapse in the final three contests last year.

During that series, the three-time MVP averaged just three points in the fourth quarters of each of the games, leading many NBA fans to question his ability to perform when it really mattered.

“It drove him all season,” said Miami’s Dwyane Wade, who finished the night with 19 points on 7-of-19 shooting. “After the Finals, he took two weeks off and then he got right back in the gym. He took (the criticism). He didn’t run away from it. He said, ‘I have to play better.’ I’m sure it will continue to drive him.”

Of his team’s opening loss, Wade said, it was “just a game to see” what both teams are going to do and then start making adjustments.

Game 2 of the Thunder vs Heat 2012 NBA Finals match-up is scheduled to go down at 8pm on Thursday night. Highlights for Game 1 of the series can be seen in the video below:

Kevin Durant Scores 36 as Thunder Take Game 1 of 2012 NBA Finals [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The NBA‘s boss, Commissioner David Stern is happy with the way the shortened season has played out.

The Boston Globe reports that Stern issued his “State of the NBA” address prior to game one of the NBA Finals on Tuesday.

The league lost about 20 percent of its season as a result of a labor dispute, but Stern said the NBA still received full compensation from ESPN and TNT.

Though the league didn’t get the hard salary cap it sought during the dispute, it did get a finals that shows smaller market teams can compete, as the draft-built Oklahoma City Thunder take on the free agency-designed Miami Heat. The Thunder took game one 105-94.

David Stern also addressed concerns by owners about injuries to star players competing internationally for the U.S., suggesting that America may use only players younger than 23 for the Olympics.

Another rumor addressed by the commissioner, according to an ABC News affiliate, included the Sacramento Kings moving to Anaheim, Calif.  Though the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, say they are committed to Sacramento, rumors have flown about moving. Stern however, said that the league would not approve such a move.

“If there was a vote now, there would be no support for a move,” Stern said. “And I believe the ownership that says they’re planning to stay (in Sacramento).”

The Mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson, released a statement after Stern’s press conference expressing his thanks to the commissioner.

“Sacramento may have the fifth pick in the draft, but we remain a top pick with the commissioner,” he said. “We appreciate the commitment to the best fans in the NBA.”

(Image courtesy of The Associated Press)

David Stern happy with short, successful season is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Oklahoma City Thunder earned their ticket to the 2012 NBA finals Wednesday night after a brilliant second-half comeback led by All-Star forward Kevin Durant.

In the contest, Durant tallied up 34 points, 14 rebounds and played all 48 minutes of regulation as the Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-99 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals.

“(An) amazing moment for him to play like this in this moment, in this setting. I wasn’t going to take him out,” Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks said of Durant’s sensational night.

Russell Westbrook added 25 points and James Harden chipped in with 16 points off the bench for the Thunder, which will face either Boston or Miami in Game 1 of the NBA finals starting next Tuesday night.

The Spurs, who once controlled the series after taking first two games, seemed poised to force a Game 7 after racing to a 18-point lead in the second half.

Unsurprisingly though, the Thunder came up with another huge third quarter as the high-scoring group of youngsters started to find their shooting touch in the second half. Powered by 32 third quarter points, Oklahoma City opened the final quarter with an 81-80 lead and kept applying pressure on the Spurs till the final buzzer sounded.

“It is very disappointing. I thought this was our time to get back to the finals and push for another championship,” said four-time NBA champ Tim Duncan, who had 25 points and 14 rebounds.

Tony Parker also added 29 points and 12 assists for San Antonio, but only eight of the points and two assists came in the second half.

In the game’s closing seconds, ABC reports that Durant grabbed the final rebound, dribbled the ball across half court and pumped his fist in celebration with the sold out crowd.

“I never want to take those moments for granted,” Kevin Durant said after the contest. “I know it’s just one step closer to our dreams, but it felt good.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play for the NBA title for the first time since 1996, when it was in Seattle.

The Thunder vs Spurs Game 6 Western Conference Finals highlights can be seen in the video below:

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder Advance to 2012 NBA Finals [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

ESPN is reporting that rapper Lil Wayne was denied tickets to last nights Game 3 matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.

Evidently when Wayne asked for tickets from the Thunder, the team informed him that he needed to purchase a ticket just like everyone else.

Apparently offend by the gesture, the rapper immediately took to Twitter, posting “Was going to go to the Thunder game tonight but was denied by the team to be in their arena. Wow. Smh. Go Spurs!”.

Claiming that he was denied by the team to be in their arena was an extreme exaggeration as Lil Wayne later exchanged texts with an ESPN reporter, stating that “They denied me the tix. Didnt want me in their arena. They also said if I do come, I can only sit behind the bench, not on the floor & that I wouldn’t be able to get any special escort nor entrance. They said its the ‘Oklahoma way’.”

Dan Mahoney, spokesman for the Oklahoma City Thunder did say that Wayne’s representatives called and requested tickets to the game, but were only willing to accept tickets on the front row. The Thunder informed the stars representatives that none of the floor seats were available and this it would not be possible.

Mahoney went on to say that ”We’d love to have him at a game, but like anyone else, he needs a ticket.”

Do you feel that Lil Wayne deserved free floor tickets to the Thunder vs. Spurs game, or do you feel that he should have to buy them like everyone else?

Lil Wayne Denied Tickets To Thunder vs. Spurs Game, Throws Hissy Fit is a post from: The Inquisitr

Though the Lakers lead early in the first quarter, the Thunder entered the halftime break with a 15-point lead and opened the third period with a 15-2 run that set the pace of the game from then on.

“From then on, it was cruising for us,” Westbrook said after his team’s blowout win. “When our team plays like that throughout the game, we put ourselves in a good opportunity to win.”

Adding to Westbrook’s impressive performance was OKC Forward Kevin Durant, who dropped 25 points and pulled down eight boards and Thunder Sixth Man of the Year winner James Harden, who scored 17 points.

Oklahoma’s only dark spot of the night came in the third quarter when starting center Kendrick Perkins appeared to re-aggravate the hip injury he sustained during the first round of the playoffs. Just two minutes into the 2nd half, Perkins went up for a dunk, then came down awkwardly and immediately left for the locker room. He later returned to the bench but did not play.

For the Lakers, center Andrew Bynum finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks and Kobe Bryant, who sat most of the 4th quarter, scored 20 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

“We need to make adjustments,” said Bynum in a post game interview. “We have a lot of tape to watch. We have to see exactly how they killed us and then try and correct it.”

Game 2 of the Lakers vs Thunder best-of-7 series is in Oklahoma City on Wednesday night.

Check out highlights of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 119-90 blowout victory over the Lakers in the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals below:

Russell Westbrook Scores 27 as OKC Thunder Clobber Lakers 119-90 in Game 1 [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hidden in the high-scoring affair (Durant scored a career-best 51 points and Westbrook dropped 40), Serge Ibaka also had a terrific game for the Thunder, capturing the first triple-double of his career with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocked shots.

Ibaka also had a hand in the most important play of the game, where he blocked a driving Arron Afflalo in overtime to eliminate the possibility of a Nuggets comeback.

The Thunder could easily have lost with the balanced scoring Denver displayed, but with the game winding down and Oklahoma City down by five, Durant first buried a three-pointer, then made a strong move for the game-tying dunk with 4.4 seconds left in regulation that led to overtime.

Durant would surpass the 50-point mark for the first time in his young career with two free throws late in overtime to seal the game.

Check out highlights from last night’s Thunder-Nuggets matchup below:

Following his team’s spectacular victory, Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks called Durant and Westbrook’s effort “amazing” and added “[Ibaka] cleaned up a lot of our mistakes and protected the basket…we gave everything we had.”

Oklahoma City (24-7) has now won nine in a row at home.

With their 91 point combined-performance, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant now rank third on the list of highest scoring games ever by a pair of NBA teammates.

via Sporting News

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook Combine for 91 Points in OKC’s OT Win Over Denver [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

People seem to be pretty high on this team that only won 23 games a year ago. Of course that was three more than this team won in their final season as the Seattle Supersonics. Since the team was sold, and GM Sam Presti came to town, only one player Nick Collison remains with the team. Presti has gone through a somewhat painful tear it down and rebuild it plan that has suffered a lot of growing pains. This is a team that is winning over the fans in Oklahoma, since they are the only pro team there, but this is a team with some more work to do.

Sure the foundation is solid. Being the only pro team in town they are converting the die hard College Football Fans into die hard pro basketball fans. They have a solid nucleus in Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Russell Westbrook. On top of that they are some 14 million dollars under the salary cap so if the right move comes along they can take advantage.

Presti has taken the long view on the building of this team, and at some point it seems that it will pay off. Since NBA games are still a novelty in Oklahoma City here isn’t a lot of pressure on this team to win, as there is in other NBA cities. For now the fans re happy to have a team and Presti has sold them on his plan for building a winner. Granted another 20 win season may start to test that patience.

Really this is a team bucking the NBA norm; Presti is building his team around talent and character, and so far as shown great restraint in pursuing free agents. Having Salary Cap flexibility means his team can take on a big contract or two if he feels those players push this team in the right direction.

2009-10 NBA preview: Oklahoma City Thunder is a post from: The Inquisitr