Suns at Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are rolling up the points and seek another
high-scoring effort when they host the struggling Phoenix Suns on
Thursday. Oklahoma City, which has won 11 of its last 13 games, is
averaging 114.5 points over its last six games and coming off a 131-123
victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
The Thunder scored 30 or more points in three different quarters against Milwaukee and small forward Kevin Durant (27), point guard Russell Westbrook (26) and backup center Enes Kanter (23) combined for 76 points. "Everybody is touching it and everybody is feeling good," Durant told reporters. "When guys are scrambling, we're driving those closeouts and trying to find the open man. That's easy basketball." Phoenix isn't finding things easy as it has lost six consecutive games and was steamrolled 112-79 by the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The Suns set season lows for points in the first quarter (12) and first half (33) and were never in the contest.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), FSN Oklahoma
ABOUT THE SUNS (12-22): The poor effort against San Antonio was disappointing to coach Jeff Hornacek, particularly the 13 first-half turnovers that led to 18 points for the Spurs. Phoenix has lost standout guard Eric Bledsoe (knee) for the season and his absence leaves point guard Brandon Knight as the lone truly established ball-handler in the rotation. "The turnovers at the beginning can't happen — and they were unforced turnovers — and that put us in a hole and took any pressure off of San Antonio," Hornacek told reporters. "We needed some guys to step in up offensively with Eric gone, but we also have to be better defensively."
ABOUT THE THUNDER (22-10): First-round pick Cameron Payne has been promoted to backup point guard and the move paid off when he scored 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting against the Bucks. Oklahoma coach Billy Donovan has been disappointed with the second unit and he turned to Payne but also voiced that expectations shouldn't be too lofty. "I think the one thing I would caution everybody that it's just one game and I know he also played good the last game, but he's going to have his ups and downs," Donovan told reporters. "Cameron has earned, in my opinion, the right to have confidence because of the time he's put in the gym."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Thunder have won 15 of the past 18 meetings, including a 124-103 victory Nov. 8.
2. Phoenix PF Markieff Morris had four points in 20 minutes off the bench in his return from a two-game suspension.
3. Durant has scored 20 or more points in 18 consecutive games.