Timberwolves at Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder recorded their ninth straight victory over
Minnesota earlier this week and aim to stretch that streak to 10 when
they host the Timberwolves on Friday. Small forward Kevin Durant scored
30 points and Oklahoma City held off a late Minnesota charge to post a
101-96 road win on Tuesday.
Durant had 29 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's 108-89 dismantling of the Dallas Mavericks to stretch his streak of consecutive 20-point outings to 25. The Thunder have won 17 of their last 21 games and the victory over Dallas marked the 10th straight time and 16th in 17 games that they scored 100 or more points. Struggling Minnesota has lost a season-worst eight consecutive games and dropped 12 of its last 13 while suffering through another dismal season. Shooting guard Andrew Wiggins is averaging 26.5 points over the past four games and poured in 28 during Wednesday's 107-104 loss to the Houston Rockets.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma, FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (28-12): Point guard Russell Westbrook was ejected in the first half of the victory over Dallas to finish scoreless for just the second time in his stellar career. His only other scoreless outing occurred against the Indiana Pacers on March 21, 2010, and Wednesday's ejection was the third of his career. Westbrook was on a roll entering the contest as he averaged 25.8 points over the previous four games and scored 20 or more points in 10 of 12 games.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (12-28): Minnesota failed to reach 100 points in 12 consecutive games before ending the dubious streak in the loss to Houston. Wiggins has been solid but the Timberwolves don't have enough parts to compete with the upper-echelon teams and the losses are beginning to mount. "It's very frustrating not being able to win," Wiggins told reporters. "Every game we play good but it's something that we're not doing right or a mistake we made and we just have to fix it."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Thunder have won 22 of the past 25 meetings.
2. Minnesota PG Ricky Rubio had 12 assists against Houston but also committed a season-worst eight turnovers.
3. Oklahoma City PF Serge Ibaka had 20 points and 11 rebounds against Dallas for his first double-double since Dec. 10.