Jan. 27, 2012 – The Oklahoma City Thunder won their fourth straight game on Friday night and remain the league’s best team with a 120-109 win over the Golden State Warriors. The Thunder improved to 16-3 (.842) on the season.
Much of the credit for the win goes to season best performances by three different players, despite turning the ball over a ridiculous 22 times in the game.
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Serge Ibaka was the breakout star of the game, scoring a double-double. He scored a season-high 20 points and pulled down a season high 12 rebounds in the game, eight on the offensive side of the ball. For one of the first times this season, the Thunder won the game of turnovers on the offensive side of the ball, 19-10.
The only disappointing part of Ibaka’s game was that he didn’t block a shot, breaking his 31-game streak. It was the first time this season that Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins did not both block a shot in the same game. Perkins finished with one block on the night.
Overall, the Thunder out-rebounded Golden State, 53-34, in the game.
“I’m very pleased,” head coach Scott Brooks said after the game. “We did a good job on the boards. That’s one of the things that we’ve talked about all season long. We haven’t done a great job with that, but tonight we did a great job. Kevin (Durant) and Serge (Ibaka) with all the offensive rebounds that he gave us, I thought we played good basketball.”
Russell Westbrook also added a double-double, with a season high 11 assists as well as 28 points scored in the game. He also pulled down six rebounds and finished with a season high seven steals. The steals were offset with his seven turnovers, a number matched by Kevin Durant, but regardless of the turnovers, it was a solid game for Westbrook.
- CLICK HERE TO SEE KEVIN DURANT’S MOST RECENT NIKE COMMERCIAL
Durant also finished with a season high 37 points and also had a double-double, with 14 rebounds in the game. James Harden added 19 points as well.
“I was past due with the big scoring night, so it felt good to score some points, but the rebounds — it’s not every night I can go get 14, so it feels good to help my team out in that aspect.”
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