OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder keep showing they know how to finish a year in style.
Ryan Smyth Oilers Jersey. Westbrook scored 18 points, Daequan Cook hit four three-pointers in quick succession to help Oklahoma City pull away in the first half and the Thunder led wire to wire in a 107-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. The Thunder are perfect in four New Years Eve home games that have become a tradition since the franchise moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City. "Youve got to start the new year with a win," Westbrook said. "Hopefully, we can keep this going." At 5-0, Oklahoma City is also off to the franchises best start since it won the first six games of the 1998-99 season -- the last time the NBA schedule was shortened because of a lockout. Behind the strong start has been a lockdown defence that has held each of the first five opponents to under 45 per cent shooting. The Suns made 39.8 per cent, becoming the third opponent to make less than 40 per cent. Its the first time in 30 years Oklahoma Citys franchise has held three of its first five opponents under 40 per cent from the field. "Were playing hard, everybodys engaging on the defensive end and helping each other," said Thabo Sefolosha, who scored 12 points. "Its a big part of our success right now." Two nights after his buzzer-beater against Dallas, Kevin Durant had only 12 points in his bid to become the first player since Michael Jordan a quarter-century earlier to score at least 30 in the first five games of a season. Hakim Warrick and rookie Markieff Morris had 15 points apiece for the Suns, who continued a dreadful offensive start despite scoring their most points yet this season. "We have not been able to do a lot of the stuff that we anticipated doing," coach Alvin Gentry said before the game. "Obviously, weve got some of the core guys but youre talking about second-unit guys and things like that. We havent been able to do nearly as much as we would like to. "From a playbook standpoint, weve probably put a third in as opposed to what we would have done in a normal situation." Oklahoma City led from the outset, getting a two-handed dunk from Serge Ibaka just after the opening tip and scoring the first seven points. The lead grew to 17-5 after Westbrooks steal and two-handed breakaway dunk just over 5 1/2 minutes in. Channing Frye answered with a right-handed putback jam at the other end to get Phoenix going, and the Suns closed within 23-22 after Robin Lopezs two free throws to complete a 10-2 run. That was the only time it would be close. Nick Collison hit a runner at the other end, and Oklahoma Citys reserves started to take over after the quarter break. Cook hit four three-pointers in a five-minute span and Collison and Nazr Mohammed both had two-handed slams during a 22-6 push that extended the lead to 54-35. The Thunder led by 14 at halftime, despite only two first-half points from Durant, and only let Phoenix get closer than that a couple times in the final five minutes, when both teams had reserves playing in garbage time. Durants three-pointer with 5.5 seconds left in the third quarter bumped Oklahoma Citys edge to 89-67. At that point, Phoenix was shooting just 37 per cent and had missed 18 of its 22 shots from three-point range. "Their guys made shots early and we did not. I think we are very inconsistent on offence right now, and I guess that just comes with trust and time," Frye said. "We have to grind it out. We do it some nights, and we need something to rely on, which I think should be our defence (to) give us more opportunities on offence." The Thunders starters remained on the bench throughout the final period as everyone got to play. Lazar Hayward, picked up in a pre-season trade with Minnesota, and first-round pick Reggie Jackson each got their first playing time of the season. Hayward scored his first points with Oklahoma City on a right-handed, fast-break dunk. Jackson got his first pro bucket on a baseline drive for a layup. The Suns managed to improve on their NBA-worst 24 per cent shooting from behind the arc only by making all four of their three-point tries in the fourth quarter. Phoenix was fourth in the NBA last season by making 38 per cent of its three-pointers. "We wanted to get back. That was our first thing that we talked about: Get back in transition defence so we can match up with their big guy thats rolling and all their shooters on the perimeter," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "Theyre a high volume three-point shooting team and that was a big part of our strategy tonight: Make sure we get back and cover their shooters." Cook didnt play in the second half because of flu-like symptoms and finished with 12 points. Collison added 11 and James Harden had 10 points and matched his career high with eight assists for Oklahoma City. Jared Dudley scored 14 points and Marcin Gortat added 12 for a Suns starting five that didnt provide much scoring punch. "We dont have very much in, to be honest with you. What were trying to do is were trying to become real efficient in what we have in and if we become really efficient with that, then we can move on to something else," Gentry said. "We cant have 20 extra things in and not do any of them good. So, were very limited in what were doing." NOTES: Gentry complimented Durant for making a "phenomenal" game-winning buzzer-beater two nights earlier but also said "those guys did a really good job of getting him open, even if it was an illegal screen." Video replays showed Kendrick Perkins and James Harden both set moving screens to get Durant open. Brooks only chuckled and said, "Both picks were good."... The Thunders previous New Years Eve wins were against Golden State in 2008, Utah in 2009 and Atlanta in 2010. ... Hinder guitarist Mark Long played the national anthem.
Esa Tikkanen Oilers Jersey .com) - The Carolina Panthers won for the first time in seven games last week, were without Cam Newton due to a car accident this week, but somehow sit atop the much-maligned NFC South.
Boyd Gordon Jersey . Reimer is winless (0-2-1) since returning from a six-week absence due to concussion-like symptoms. The Maple Leafs dropped a 4-2 decision to the hosting Washington Capitals on Friday. ATLANTA -- Gavin Floyd was impressive in his first start in a year, giving the Braves a chance to end their longest losing streak in two years. Justin Upton homered and scored the tiebreaking run on Chris Johnsons eighth-inning single, and the Atlanta Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Tuesday night to end their seven-game skid. "That felt good," Johnson said. "Its big. We werent panicking too much. We were relaxed, even though we lost seven in a row." Floyd allowed one run on six hits in seven innings. He made his first major league start since April 27, 2013, for the White Sox against Tampa Bay. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery 10 days later, and his comeback included six minor league rehab starts this year. "It felt good," Floyd said. "There were a lot of emotions, a lot of excitement through this process leading up to it and getting back out there ... not only starting for the first time but trying to get us back on the winning side." Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez had modest expectations for Floyds return. "I didnt expect that really," Gonzalez said. "I expected a guy who was going to scuffle through five, six innings for the first time out. He hadnt been in competition in a year but he sure came out with flying colours. You couldnt ask for anything more. "He was really, really good for the first time in a year." David Carpenter (2-0) had two strikeouts in the eighth. Craig Kimbrel added two more strikeouts in a perfect ninth for his ninth save. With one out in the eighth, Upton singled to centre. Freddie Freeman followed with a liner that bounced off the leg of Randy Choate (0-1) and bounced to third baseman Matt Carpenter for an infield hit. Right-hander Pat Neshek gave up Johnsons single to right field that drove in Upton and allowed Freeman to advance to third. Johnson called the at-bat against Nesheks side-arm delivery "a grind." "It wasnt easy," Johnson said. "That guy is funky. Hes nasty. ... That was jjust a battle between me and him and me trying to get something in play.
Andrej Sekera Oilers Jersey. I was able to finally stay on the ball and kind of go the other way a little bit." Choate was left to bemoan Freemans shot that hit his leg, setting up Johnsons run-scoring hit. "If it misses me its a groundball to (shortstop) Jhonny (Peralta), probably a double play," Choate said. "I didnt feel it. I didnt even see it. It just somehow found me and ricochets off me. Thats the way it bounces sometimes and it stinks but what are you going to do?" St. Louis left-hander Tyler Lyons allowed only one run on four hits, including Uptons homer, in six innings. "Great start," said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. "Its a shame we havent been able to score that guy any runs. ... He had everything working today." Lyons retired the first 10 Braves before Upton snapped a 0-for-12 streak with his team-leading ninth homer in the fourth. The Cardinals tied it in the sixth. Matt Hollidays single to right-centre drove in Carpenter, who led off with a walk. Floyd made the start originally planned for Ervin Santana, whose spot was skipped due to his swollen right thumb. Santana is listed as the probable starter against the Cubs on Saturday. Gonzalez stayed with the structure of the revamped lineup he unveiled on Monday in an attempt to snap the losing streak and hitting slump. For the second straight game, shortstop Andrelton Simmons hit ninth, one spot behind the pitcher. NOTES: Atlantas last win was a 1-0 decision in 10 innings over the Reds on April 27. ... The losing streak was the Braves longest since eight straight losses from May 21-28, 2012. ... Matheny said 2B Mark Ellis was held out for a normal day of rest. Daniel Descalso filled in. ... The series ends on Wednesday night when Braves LHP Mike Minor looks for his first win of 2014 against Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright. ... A scoring change gave Floyd an infield single on his grounder in the fifth originally ruled as an error on Carpenter.
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