Tulsa World: Slide Show: Durant scores 30; OKC beats Heat

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Slide Show: Durant scores 30; OKC beats Heat
A late rally helps the Thunder beat Miami in game at BOK Center.

Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant scored 18 points in the fourth quarter against Miami on Wednesday at the BOK Center. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World

By MATT BAKER World Sports Writer
Published: 10/15/2009 2:28 AM
Last Modified: 10/20/2009 3:42 PM

Correction
This story originally contained an incorrect photo caption. The caption has been corrected.

If Kevin Durant keeps playing like this, maybe the Oklahoma City Thunder should play in Tulsa more often.

The Thunder's rising star scored 18 points in the final quarter to spark an Oklahoma City comeback that led the Thunder to a 96-91 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday in front of an announced crowd of 10,427 at the BOK Center.

In last year's preseason game in Tulsa, Durant scored 20 points in the final quarter of a 110-104 win over Houston.

"We were more poised than anything," said Durant, who finished with a game-high 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting. "We knew what we had to do to win."

Durant started well early with a pair of powerful first-quarter dunks. But he also ran into foul trouble, picking up five fouls in his first 20 minutes. A charging foul and a traveling call wiped away two fast-break chances in the first half.

"I've never been in that situation," Durant said. "It was tough. It was a challenge but something that's going to make me better."

Former Booker T. Washington standout Etan Thomas also pitched in late for the Thunder, sinking a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to seal the win.

"I'm just glad I made them," Thomas said.

It was a nice homecoming for Thomas, who had a job in high school a few blocks away from the BOK

Center, at American Parking. Playing in front of 100 friends and family members — including friends he played with in middle school — Thomas finished with 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting. The 6-foot-10 center had two rebounds and played 23 minutes.

"It was a great feeling," Thomas said. "It felt good to be back playing."

Thomas is battling Nenad Krstic for the final starting spot in head coach Scott Brooks' rotation. Brooks said he likes Thomas' physical nature and that the competition remains open. "I haven't made a decision one way or another," Brooks said.

Brooks came away impressed with the team's defensive effort late to come back after trailing 70-61 at the start of the fourth.

"That's the goal, to really buckle down defensively," Brooks said. "You want to do it for 48 minutes, and in the fourth quarter we did a good job of really being active with our hands and challenging their shots."

A return to Big 12 country worked out well for Miami forward Michael Beasley.

The former Kansas State standout scored 24, filling in as the Heat's go-to guy with superstar Dwyane Wade out because of a rib cage injury.

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THUNDER 96, HEAT 91

Miami 28 19 23 21 — 91
Oklahoma City 22 19 20 35 — 96

MIAMI: Beasley 9-13 6-6 24, Haslem 3-7 3-3 9, O'Neal 4-7 2-2 10, Chalmers 4-7 4-4 13, Richardson 4-11 2-3 11, Cook 5-15 0-0 14, Anthony 1-1 0-0 2, Randolph 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 3-4 0-0 8, Arroyo 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 33-67 17-18 91.

OKLAHOMA CITY: Durant 10-16 9-10 30, Green 9-16 4-5 25, Thomas 4-4 3-4 11, Westbrook 3-12 6-10 12, Sefolosha 2-7 2-3 6, Weaver 0-1 2-2 2, Ibaka 0-1 0-0 0, Krstic 1-2 1-2 3, Kelley 0-0 0-0 0, Livingston 0-3 3-6 3, Mullens 2-3 0-0 4, Ruffin 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 31-67 30-42 96.

3-point goals: Miami 8-21 (Cook 4-7, Jones 2-3, Chalmers 1-2, Richardson 1-7, Beasley 0-2), Oklahoma City 4-13 (Green 3-3, Durant 1-5, Weaver 0-1, Westbrook 0-1, Sefolosha 0-3).

Fouled out: None.

Rebounds: Miami 36 (Haslem 9), Oklahoma City 47 (Westbrook, Durant 6).

Assists: Miami 11 (Chalmers 4), Oklahoma City 16 (Westbrook 7).

Total fouls: Miami 32, Oklahoma City 23.

Technicals: Richardson, Miami defensive three second, Oklahoma City defensive three second.

A: 10,427 (19,199).

Matt Baker 581-8358
matt.baker@tulsaworld.com By MATT BAKER World Sports Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Durant leads Thunder to win at BOK Center," which was published on 10/14/2009.

	Report Comment Rupert Shootman, Tulsa (10/15/2009 12:51:42 AM) Forget the Thunder. They want us to follow the team but they give us one bogus exhibition game. Get some regular season games here or forget getting my dinero.
	Report Comment Denver918, (10/14/2009 11:25:02 PM) The Thunder should play a few regular season games in the BOK Center, they are currently 2-0 there...
	Report Comment OUKW, TULSA (10/15/2009 6:41:54 AM) ANY RESIDENT OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA THAT ATTENTED THAT GAME SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES.
	Report Comment JKW, Tulsa (10/15/2009 12:47:31 AM) I went to the game. It was a good comeback, thanks to Durant playing with five fouls. Go Thunder
	Report Comment KGListon, BA (10/15/2009 10:06:17 PM) 10427 people... wow. I thought nobody was gonna be there. I love it when the chicken picker is way wrong! I know he's just a stir stick. We need to support all sports in Oklahoma period! WNBA is a perfect fit for tulsa. If we dont support it. It wont be here and neither will anything else. This (WNBA) is a golden opportunity to prove that tulsa is viable professional sports market.
	Report Comment hoopdreams, (10/15/2009 4:37:16 PM) Two things, 1) the name OKC is in the lease for the Ford Center. Dont like it? Have the BOK offer something better, which they didnt. 2)The NBA does not allow regular season home games played outside of their home courts because of sponsorship dollars. I am glad we have a team in the state. It is the reason the WNBA is coming to Tulsa. I prefer an NFL team being that Oklahoma is a football state. Just my two sense but majority of okies are fair weather fans anyways.
	Report Comment seymore1965, Tulsa (10/15/2009 12:29:57 AM) Yes, they're win was surprisingly shocking in Tulsa.

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