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| (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams |
Thunder's previous game: Oklahoma City is coming off a 117-104 win over the Orlando Magic, a game where the Thunder set a franchise record - scoring 73 first half points.
The Thunder have an all around team effort in the victory last Friday. Three players, Ibaka, Durant, and Westbrook, scored at least twenty points in the game. Serge had a terrific night from the floor, shooting 8-10 to finish with twenty points, six rebounds, and three blocked shots. Kevin Martin seemed to be getting back into his groove. K-Mart had a high percentage shooting night, nailing five of his nine shots from the field for fifteen points, to go along with his six rebounds and three assists.
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| Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images |
Oklahoma City's bench was right where it needed to be in the contest. Though they have been inconsistent this season, they have improved their consistency as of late. The bench totaled thirty eight points in the game, playing with explosiveness and charisma.
Coming out with energy and focus, Oklahoma City managed to blow it wide open from the beginning, out scoring the Magic 39-26 in the first quarter on an outstanding 71% shooting. The lead was just four mid way through the first, before the Thunder went on an 16-8 run to close out the first quarter. Oklahoma City's starters combined for thirty of the Thunder's thirty nine points in the quarter, led by Russell Westbrook who had ten points on 4-6 shooting.
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| AP Photo/Alonzo Adams |
The defense locked up on the Magic in the second quarter as the Thunder went on another 16-4 run to extend their lead to as much as twenty seven points. Despite the Thunder's enormous run early on, they got a little loose on the defensive end in the second half on the second quarter, allowing the Magic to finish with thirty points and cut the Thunder's lead to just seventeen at half time.
Oklahoma City would maintain their dominant lead throughout the contest, but gave up a 9-2 run midway through the fourth quarter that allowed the Magic to cut it down to as much as four. The Thunder were able to pick up the defense and run the break off turn overs, helping them finish the game on an eight to nothing run and win the game 117-104.
Last meeting with Mavericks: The Thunder used a 46 point night from their bench to blow the Mavericks on 112-91 in their last meeting back in early February.
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| Bleacherreport.com |
The turning point in the game was the second quarter, where the Thunder's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for twenty points on 100% shooting from the field. Oklahoma City scored thirty nine points in the quarter, extending their lead to as much as twenty seven by half time.
The Thunder would use their momentum to carry them throughout the next two quarters, where they shot just 38% from the field. Dallas wasn't able to make any big runs in the second half, besides out scoring the Thunder 24-20 in the fourth quarter, and the Thunder went on to win the game 112-91 at home.
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