NBA: Cavaliers snap Thunder home win streak

Discussion

March 10, 2012

NBA: Cavaliers snap Thunder home win streak

Associated Press Associated Press Sat Mar 10, 2012, 07:00 AM EST

March 10, 2012 7:00 a.m. OKLAHOMA CITY — Antawn Jamison scored 21 points and Kyrie Irving orchestrated a decisive run in the final 3 minutes and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped Oklahoma City’s 14-game home winning streak by beating the Thunder 96-90 on Friday night.

The Cavaliers scored their first consecutive road wins of the season by turning the normally fast-breaking Thunder into a half-court team. Oklahoma City converted only three transition baskets until trying to make a dramatic comeback in the final minute.

Neither team led by more than five until the final minute, when the Cavaliers were putting the finishing touches on a 12-0 run spearheaded by Irving.

Irving drove for a pair of layups to put Cleveland ahead and then found Jamison wide open under the basket for a layup to make it 90-85.

Kevin Durant tried to lead Oklahoma City back, but missed on a pair of 3-point attempts. He finished with 23 points and Russell Westbrook scored 19 for the Thunder.

For the second straight game, Cavs coach Byron Scott went with a smaller lineup — featuring three guards and with the 6-foot-9 Jamison the only one taller than 6-6 on the court — and it worked.

Cleveland snapped a six-game losing streak with a 100-99 win at Denver, then followed it with another surprise — with Irving providing the big plays down the stretch again after hitting the winning layup against the Nuggets.

Oklahoma City was limited to its lowest scoring total at home all season, falling to 17-2 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Cleveland, which allows the league’s second-fewest fastbreak points per game, kept it close by allowing only two transition baskets by the Thunder in the first half and then was able to duplicate that effort while allowing only 38 points after halftime.

Anthony Parker added 14 points, Alonzo Gee scored 12 and Irving finished with nine points and 12 assists.

James Harden had 15 points and Serge Ibaka 13 for the Thunder.

Ibaka helped preserve Oklahoma City’s 51-49 edge at halftime by blocking four shots in the final 2 minutes before intermission, including three against Gee on a single possession.

Notes: Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said starting guard Thabo Sefolosha had “another good workout” Friday in his rehab from a tendon injury in his right foot but there still is no timetable for his return. Sefolosha has not played since Jan. 27, missing the past 21 games. “I don’t know the exact date but I know that he is getting better, he’s feeling better and we’ll see,” Brooks said. ... The Thunder lead the NBA in free throw shooting (80 percent) but opponents also shoot better against them (78.5 percent) than any other team. ... Durant has 24 turnovers in his past five games.

Text Only

National Sports

NHL: Penguins top Senators 4-1 to take series opener
Paul Martin and Chris Kunitz scored power-play goals and Pascal Dupuis added his sixth goal of the playoffs and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday.

May 15, 2013
Penguins turning to backup Vokoun for Game 5
Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma insists he still believes in Marc-Andre Fleury, that the issues for the reeling Penguins go far beyond the struggles of their Stanley Cup-winning goaltender.

May 9, 2013
Kunitz’s second PP goal gives Pens OT win
The Pittsburgh Penguins bounced back from their home disappointment and dished out their fair share to the suddenly shocked New York Islanders.

May 6, 2013
Orb comes from behind to win Kentucky Derby
Way back in the pack heading into the final turn, Orb was calm even if his jockey wasn’t.

May 5, 2013
Faried leads Nuggets past Warriors 107-100
Kenneth Faried brought the energy and the Denver Nuggets rediscovered their toughness in time to stave off elimination Tuesday night with a 107-100 win over the Golden State Warriors.

May 1, 2013
Heat take off late, top Bucks 98-86 for 2-0 lead
Everyone in the Miami huddle was bracing for a grind to the finish. On the other end, the sense around the Milwaukee bench was that an upset was there for the taking.

April 24, 2013
Kenseth holds off Kahne to win at Kansas Speedway
Matt Kenseth knew that he had a front-running car Sunday.
It was simply a matter of getting there.

April 22, 2013
Hockey returns to Boston, Penguins top Bruins 3-2
Another emotional video tribute. Another stirring performance of the national anthem by a packed arena. Another hockey game in Boston.

April 21, 2013
Scott beats Cabrera in a playoff at Augusta
Adam Scott finished the job this time, and put an end to more than a half-century of Australian misery at the Masters.
With the two biggest putts of his career, Scott holed a 20-footer for birdie on the 18th hole of regulation that put him into a playoff with Angel Cabrera, and then won his first major championship Sunday with a 12-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.

April 15, 2013
Snedeker, Cabrera tied for lead at MastersSnedeker, Cabrera tied for lead at Masters
The longest, strangest day at the Masters for Tiger Woods began with a text message from his agent Saturday morning to meet with Augusta National officials nearly six hours before his tee time. It ended some 10 hours later with a relieved fist pump for a key par that kept him in the mix for another green jacket.

April 14, 2013
More National Sports Headlines

National Sports

Search Results

Discussion

NBA: Cavaliers snap Thunder home win streak

Site Map

Contact Us