Thunder Bounce Back With Big Win Over Kings

After losing four of its last six games, the Thunder recorded a 115-89 victory over Sacramento.

Friday, April 13th 2012, 11:26 pm

By: News 9


In between the severe weather that crossed Oklahoma Friday evening, the Oklahoma City Thunder created some commotion of its own with a 115-89 win over the Sacramento Kings.

The Thunder, who had lost four of their previous six games, had no such trouble this time.

After a slow start, Kevin Durant got the team going toward the end of the first quarter en route to his 29 point performance. Russell Westbrook scored 22 points while Kendrick Perkins added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds as OKC shot 47.8 percent from the field and limited the Kings to 38.9 percent shooting.

It was a slow and low scoring first quarter, but the Thunder ignited in the second.

The game was highlighted by what many are calling the dunk of the year thus far as Durant lobbed a ball to Westbrook for a thrilling one-handed alley-oop that highlighted an 18-2 Thunder run and put OKC on top 58-39 at halftime.

The Thunder posted impressive first half totals with 52.2 percent from the field, 72.7 percent from the free throw line and they went 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Durant led all scorers at the half with 17 points while Russell Westbrook wasn't far behind with 12.

Fisher and Perkins helped the Thunder push the pace and extend its lead in the second half, and by the fourth, OKC didn't even need its starters to close out the game.

The Kings were never closer than 16 in the second half, falling behind by 23 at the end of the third quarter and by as many as 32 in the fourth.

Sacramento's Isaiah Thomas scored 21 points, and DeMarcus Cousins had nine points and 12 rebounds for the Kings, who dropped their seventh straight for their longest losing streak of the season.

Tyreke Evans, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, had a career-worst two points in only 13 minutes.

The Thunder were without James Harden who sat out with a knee injury.

Oklahoma City moved one game ahead of second-place San Antonio (41-16) in the West but remains tied in the loss column. The Spurs would get the tiebreaker if the teams finish with the same record.

In the race for the league's best record, the Thunder trail Chicago (45-14) by two games with seven to play.

Oklahoma City starts a five-game road trip -- matching its longest of the season -- on Saturday night at Minnesota at 7 p.m.

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