Thunder Beats Nuggets To Extend Win Streak

Oklahoma City extended the NBA's longest active winning streak to seven games on Tuesday with a road victory in Denver.

Wednesday, December 18th 2013, 12:31 am

By: News 9


The Thunder just keeps rolling along.

Oklahoma City earned its seventh-straight victory on Tuesday night with a convincing 105-93 win at Denver, giving OKC 15 victories in its past 16 games.

The usual suspects led the way, as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka imposed their will on a rapidly improving Nuggets squad.

Durant scored 30 points for the 12th time this season on 11-of-23 shooting, including 12 of the Thunder's 23 third-quarter points.

Westbrook flirted with another triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, while Serge Ibaka bounced back in a big way with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Oklahoma City (20-4) had a double-digit lead trimmed to 58-57 in the third quarter but immediately responded with an 11-0 capped by a KD 3-pointer and held Denver (14-10) without a field goal for more than five minutes to reclaim a commanding lead.

The Thunder never allowed the Nuggets to pull within six for the remainder of the contest, coming up with timely answers any time Denver appeared poised to make a push.

It was an impressive road win for a red-hot Thunder squad and OKC continues to get under Denver's skin in this divisional rivalry. Nuggets' forward Jordan Hamilton was ejected in the fourth quarter for throwing a punch at Steven Adams.

Adams and the Thunder's second unit continues to show rapid improvement, as Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, Nick Collison, Derek Fisher and Adams all came through with significant contributions in the contest.

Lamb scored nine points, while Collison and Jackson each chipped in eight for the Thunder, which relied heavily on "small ball" against the an athletic Denver team in an effort to push the ball in fast break situations.

Oklahoma City scored 16 fast break points and outscored Denver 52-46 in the paint. OKC also outrebounded the Nuggets 53-43 and is now 15-1 on the season when it wins the battle on the boards.

Denver, which had won 10 of 13 heading into the game, was led by 20 points and 14 rebounds from J.J. Hickson, while Ty Lawson added 17 for the Nuggets.

The Thunder will be back at home to face the injury-riddled and struggling Bulls on Thursday at 7 p.m. Chicago is 9-14 on the season and will face the Rockets on Wednesday before heading to OKC for the tail end of a rough back-to-back.

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