The fact that the New Orleans Hornets were able to hold a lead on the Thunder for the majority of the game means that they are improving.
This was the 3rd meeting this season between these two teams and lets just say the Thunder had a average margin of victory of +20 after the first two games. In this 3rd game on Wednesday night the Hornets actually held the lead for the majority of the game, and even going into the 4th quarter. Their largest lead was 8. But the Thunder took the lead in the 4th quarter just under the 6 minute mark and the Hornets were never able to reclaim it after.
The stat of the night for this game was the free throw differential. The Hornets shot 16 free throws to Oklahoma City’s 32. That also explains how the Hornets managed to put up 12 more total shots than the Thunder. Other than the free throws the Hornets and Thunder were even in rebounding and turnovers, no team had a clear advantage.
Dec 12, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots over New Orleans Hornets shooting guard Austin Rivers (25) during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Durant led all scorers with 35 points. Durant almost shot just as many free throws as the whole Hornets team, Durant was 12-14 from the line. Durant also grabbed 9 rebounds and played a whopping 44 minutes.
Kevin Martin pitched in well off the bench for the Thunder, scoring 17 points and pulling down 6 rebounds.
Anthony Davis came off the bench for the 2nd consecutive game after missing 11 straight. Davis seems to struggle a bit against proven dominant big men such as Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins so far. Davis only managed to score 11 points and tied his season low of 4 rebounds. Even though Davis came off the bench he on the floor for 28 minutes, Robin Lopez started and played 20.
Brian Roberts led the Hornets in scoring with 16 points off the bench. Roberts knocked in 4 of the 9 3-pointers the Hornets made as a team.
For the consecutive game in a row Grevis Vasquez tied his season low in assist, 5.
| NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (5-16) | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIELD GOALSREBOUNDS | |||||||||||||||||
| POS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | +/- | OFF | DEF | TOT | AST | PF | ST | TO | BS | BA | PTS | ||
| A. Aminu | F | 21:32 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 4-4 | +8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | |
| R. Anderson | F | 31:48 | 6-14 | 2-7 | 0-0 | +10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | |
| R. Lopez | C | 19:51 | 3-8 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +9 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | |
| A. Rivers | G | 38:00 | 4-14 | 2-5 | 2-2 | +6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 12 | |
| G. Vasquez | G | 31:41 | 4-9 | 1-4 | 0-0 | +1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | |
| A. Davis | 28:09 | 3-8 | 0-0 | 5-6 | -13 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ||
| J. Smith | 16:12 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -14 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | ||
| D. Miller | 11:07 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -17 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| X. Henry | 12:14 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 2-4 | -6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| B. Roberts | 29:26 | 6-14 | 4-6 | 0-0 | -4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | ||
| R. Mason Jr. | DNP – COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||||
| L. Thomas | DNP – COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||||
| Totals | 240 | 33-83 | 9-22 | 13-16 | 13 | 30 | 43 | 20 | 26 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 88 | |||
| 39.8% | 40.9% | 81.2% | TEAM REBS: 5 | TOTAL TO: 10 | |||||||||||||
| OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (18-4) | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIELD GOALSREBOUNDS | |||||||||||||||||
| POS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | +/- | OFF | DEF | TOT | AST | PF | ST | TO | BS | BA | PTS | ||
| K. Durant | F | 43:52 | 11-20 | 1-4 | 12-14 | +3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 35 | |
| S. Ibaka | F-C | 22:53 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 1-3 | -8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | |
| K. Perkins | C | 23:48 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| T. Sefolosha | G | 24:01 | 0-4 | 0-3 | 2-2 | -5 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| R. Westbrook | G | 36:35 | 4-14 | 1-1 | 5-8 | -10 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 14 | |
| K. Martin | 30:46 | 5-12 | 2-5 | 5-5 | +14 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | ||
| N. Collison | 26:27 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| H. Thabeet | 06:25 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| E. Maynor | 14:15 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| R. Jackson | 10:58 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | +12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | ||
| J. Lamb | DNP – COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||||
| D. Liggins | DNP – COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||||
| D. Orton | DNP – COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||||
| Totals | 240 | 31-71 | 5-15 | 25-32 | 8 | 35 | 43 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 92 | |||
| 43.7% | 33.3% | 78.1% | TEAM REBS: 9 | TOTAL TO: 11 | |||||||||||||
I'm a avid basketball fan from Seattle, Washington. I have found my passion in basketball and probably spend to much time following the NBA. The Hornets have became my team shortly after I started blogging on Swarm and Sting.
And yes, I was upset to see the Sonics move to Oklahoma but glad they're doing well. Im positive the NBA will return to the 206 one day.
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