Magic at Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are off to one of the best starts in franchise history and attempt to remain unbeaten at home when the struggling Orlando Magic visit on Sunday. The Thunder are averaging 108.3 points – second in the league -- and a 9.6 winning margin in 11 games at home, including a 122-97 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The Magic have lost seven of their last eight and must deal with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who average almost 50 points combined.
Durant leads the league in scoring (28.5) and Westbrook is averaging 21.5 points and 11.3 assists over the last four contests. “There are a lot of things we need to work on – transition defense, rebounding, passing,” Durant told reporters Friday. “On offense we’ve got to flow a little better. But our chemistry is growing. That’s the most important thing.” Orlando is 2-10 on the road and plays at Chicago on Monday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Oklahoma
ABOUT THE MAGIC (7-16): Orlando led Cleveland by 14 in the first half and nine in the third quarter before dropping a 109-100 decision at home on Friday. The Magic could not stop Dion Waiters and Kyrie Irving when they needed to but rookie Victor Oladipo continued to show progress, matching his career-best with 26 points – 12 in the third quarter. Arron Afflalo is still the go-to player, averaging 21.4 points, and forward Tobias Harris could give the rotation an added boost after his return from an ankle injury.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (18-4): Durant and Westbrook have been getting plenty of support, led by 6-10 forward Serge Ibaka’s seven double-doubles in the last 11 games and 11 overall this season. Reggie Jackson (12.3), who started three games early on, and Jeremy Lamb (9.5) are also contributing solid offensive numbers off the bench. Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha is day-to-day with a sprained knee after missing three straight games and rookie Andre Roberson got the start in his place in each, averaging 17.7 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Thunder have won five straight and 13 of their last 14 games while tying the second-best 22-game start in franchise history.
2. Orlando C Nikola Vucevic has grabbed 27 rebounds combined in his first two games back from an ankle injury.
3. Oklahoma City is 14-1 when outrebounding its opponent this season.