Spurs, Blazers runs end
OKLAHOMA CITY—Kevin Durant had 24 points and 13 rebounds, Serge Ibaka added 17 points and 11 rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped the San Antonio Spurs’ 11-game winning streak—one of two such runs that ended on the same night—with a 94-88 victory Wednesday.
Reggie Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting for Oklahoma City, which is 7-0 at home, the franchise’s best home start since 2004-05, when it was in Seattle.
The Thunder took control of a tight game with an 8-0 run in the third quarter and withstood a run by San Antonio midway through the fourth quarter.
Tony Parker had 16 points and seven assists for San Antonio (13-2), which was seeking the best start in franchise history. The Spurs also started 13-1 during the 2010-11 season. Portland, which entered Wednesday on an 11-game winning streak, is the only other team to have beaten San Antonio this season.
But the Blazers saw their own 11-game win streak halted in Phoenix as Goran Dragic scored 31 points, Channing Frye added 25 and the Suns used their up-tempo style to recover from a poor start to rip Portland, 120-106.
Markieff Morris scored 19 and twin Marcus Morris 15 for the Suns, who wiped out a 16-point second-quarter deficit to hand the Blazers their first loss since Nov. 5 against Houston.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and Damian Lillard scored 16 points for the Blazers, who had also won six straight on the road.
In other games, it was Pacers 99, Bobcats 74; Heat 95, Cavaliers 84; Grizzlies 100, Celtics 93; Lakers 99, Nets 94; Wizards 100, Bucks 92, OT; Magic 105, 76ers 94; Bulls 99, Pistons 79; Nuggets 117, Timberwolves 110; Rockets 113, Hawks 84; Mavericks 103, Warriors 99; and Clippers 93, Knicks 80.
In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 28 points and seemed more relaxed than in previous games back in Cleveland, leading Miami to its eighth straight win.
James added eight rebounds and eight assists in his fifth game as a visitor against the Cavaliers, the team that drafted him and the one he left as a free agent three years ago to chase championships in Miami. AP
