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Roy, Portland too much for OKC

Thunder forward Jeff Green shoots over Portland center Greg Oden in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game. Sue Ogrocki / Associated Press
 
By JEFF LATZKE Associated Press
Published: 11/2/2009  2:27 AM
Last Modified: 11/2/2009  6:32 AM

 OKLAHOMA CITY — Brandon Roy couldn't get his shot going for a second straight night. So, he used what energy he had left for one final charge.

Tuckered out after a 42-point performance the previous night, Roy scored 16 and got aggressive late to finish out the Portland Trail Blazers' 83-74 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night.

"I was tired. The first back-to-back is always tough," said Roy, who had 42 a night earlier in Houston. "I just kept telling guys, 'This is when we have to execute. This is when we have to almost be perfect.'"

Roy struggled to get anything going on offense — and so did Kevin Durant, a fellow Rookie of the Year.

Roy made just four of his first 16 shots before finally finding a way to hurt Oklahoma City at the free throw line. While Durant continued to misfire on jump shots, Roy knifed his way into the lane repeatedly to earn trips to the foul line and help Portland inch away.

His three-point play off a driving layup gave the Trail Blazers a 70-62 lead with 3:59 to play.

"I'm maturing and learning the game and saying when you get leads you've got to try to build on them by getting to the free throw line," said Roy, the 2007 Rookie of the Year. "You don't have to always shoot jumpers."

Roy didn't attempt his first free throw until there was 5:11 left, but he got aggressive from then on. He went 5 for 7 from the line the rest of the way as Portland did something it couldn't do on his big night — win.

LaMarcus Aldridge limped off the floor with a bone bruise in his right knee late in the first quarter and did not return. McMillan said X-rays on the knee were negative but he had no timeline for Aldridge's return.

Durant scored 16 points on 3-for-21 shooting and missed all five of his 3-point attempts in the latest showdown between the top two picks in the 2007 draft. Greg Oden, the No. 1 pick that year, had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

"Once my shot wasn't falling, I tried to get to the line. I think I did a decent job of that. I've got to make those free throws," said Durant, who was 10 for 14 at the foul line.

TRAIL BLAZERS 83, THUNDER 74

Portland 25 14 21 23 — 83
Oklahoma City 15 22 19 18 — 74

PORTLAND: Webster 4-12 1-2 10, Aldridge 2-5 2-2 6, Oden 4-5 4-4 12, Blake 6-9 2-2 18, Roy 5-17 5-7 16, Przybilla 1-4 0-0 2, Miller 1-1 2-2 4, Fernandez 0-3 1-2 1, Outlaw 4-10 2-4 12, Howard 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 28-69 19-25 83.

OKLAHOMA CITY: Durant 3-21 10-14 16, Green 6-14 6-8 19, Krstic 0-4 0-0 0, Westbrook 8-12 7-10 23, Sefolosha 1-2 0-0 2, Ollie 2-3 0-0 4, Thomas 2-4 0-0 4, Harden 2-9 0-0 6, Collison 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-70 23-32 74.

3-point goals: Portland 8-21 (Blake 4-5, Outlaw 2-4, Webster 1-5, Roy 1-5, Fernandez 0-2), Oklahoma City 3-14 (Harden 2-3, Green 1-4, Krstic 0-1, Westbrook 0-1, Durant 0-5). Fouled out: Westbrook. Rebounds: Portland 47 (Oden 10), OKC 55 (Green 11). Assists: Portland 16 (Roy 5), Oklahoma City 6 (Westbrook, Harden 2). Total fouls: Portland 26, Oklahoma City 25. Technicals: Portland Coach McMillan. A: 16,920 (18,203).

By JEFF LATZKE Associated Press

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Roy, Blazers down Thunder," which was published on 11/1/2009.
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tulsandn, out in the woods (11/2/2009 9:12:13 AM)
I'll cheer for the Thunder in every game they play but it'll be so much easier when they figure out a way to become a non-donut team....

Maybe they'll get someone in next year's draft or a pretty good free agent....

Kristic, Collison, Thomas are good decent players coming off the bench but they need a someone to come off the bench for....

Trades, no way, keep the young talent that is already there, lock them down to long-term contracts, contract extensions are needed for Durant, Westbrook, Green & Harden....Once these young men become MEN with experience, they will be a force....

The Lakers are MEN on the court, old guys with experience & talent not skinny young guys depending on talent alone like OKC is right now, but one day OKC will grow up....
 

 
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