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Ariza, Landry score 21 each in Rockets’ 105-94 win

By CHRIS DUNCAN, AP Sports Writer Nov 7, 12:25 am EST

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HOUSTON (AP)—The Houston Rockets’ balanced scoring was enough to overcome big games by Kevin Durant(notes) and Russell Westbrook(notes).

Trevor Ariza(notes) and Carl Landry(notes) scored 21 points apiece and the Rockets extended their winning streak over the Oklahoma City franchise to 11 games with a 105-94 victory over the Thunder on Friday night.

Luis Scola(notes) added 19 points and 10 rebounds, rookie Chase Budinger(notes) scored 16 and Aaron Brooks(notes) added 11 points for the Rockets, who finished with 26 assists.

“We’ve got unselfish guys on this team,” Budinger said. “Nobody on this team is playing for themselves. We are playing together, and everybody has got one goal in mind, and that is to win games.”

Westbrook scored 33 points and Durant added 27, but they were the only players in double figures for the Thunder. The duo hit 25 of 47 shots from the field—the rest of the team went 15 for 45.

“They both had good offensive games, but we are all about team,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. “We didn’t get the job done.”

The Oklahoma City franchise hasn’t beaten Houston since a 104-87 win on April 4, 2006, when the team still played in Seattle. The franchise’s last win in Houston came in February 2005.

Westbrook and Durant scored 16 of Oklahoma City’s first 19 points in the final quarter to keep the Thunder in it, but never had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead.

Jeff Green(notes), who came in averaging 19 points per game, shot 3 for 15 for Oklahoma City. Nenad Krstic(notes), averaging 10 points per game, went 1 for 8 from the field.

Houston forward Shane Battier(notes) said the Rockets successfully executed their game plan, limiting ball movement and forcing Oklahoma City’s players to beat them off the dribble.

The Thunder had 15 assists and 15 turnovers, and Westbrook and Durant took 26 of their team’s 45 shots in the second half.

“Their two guys had big games and if you’re not careful, sometimes you can get beat with that theory,” Battier said. “But we want to play good team defense and we can do that better when we have more isolations.”

Kyle Lowry(notes) had eight assists in less than 20 minutes, and Brooks and Ariza each had six for Houston. With Yao Ming(notes) sidelined for the season and Tracy McGrady(notes) out indefinitely, the Rockets will have to get scoring balance from just about everyone else to compete with most teams.

“It’s pretty much going to be like that the whole season,” Scola said. “We are going to face challenges every night. One of the challenges is whether or not we are going to be consistent on a daily basis.”

Westbrook had seven assists for the Thunder, who trailed 50-45 at halftime.

The Rockets hit 10 of their first 14 shots in the third quarter to push the lead to 73-59. Durant finished a fast break with a one-handed dunk a few minutes later to cut Oklahoma City’s deficit to 10, but Landry converted a three-point play to put Houston ahead 80-67.

“They pulled away in the third quarter, they were hitting their shots,” Durant said. “They were more aggressive than we were and that is what wins games.”

NOTES: Thunder G Shaun Livingston(notes) scored two points in his first action of the season. … The Rockets wore red and yellow throwback jerseys reminiscent of the uniforms they wore when they won NBA titles in 1994-95. Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks was a backup guard on the Rockets’ first championship team. “That’s a great gesture for them to do that for me,” Brooks joked before the game. … Lowry blocked four shots, a career high.

Updated Nov 7, 12:25 am EST
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Houston vs Sacramento

Sat Nov 21, 2009, 8:30 pm EST

Oklahoma City at LA Lakers

Sun Nov 22, 2009, 9:30 pm EST

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19 Comments

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  1. <i>tracyzhb@...</i>
    19. Posted by tracyzhb@... Mon Nov 9 8:48pm EST

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    go rockets!!!!i almost watched every game of yours,so dont disappointed me
  2. metalfreak
    18. Posted by metalfreak Sun Nov 8 10:57am EST

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    matt. you have way too much time on your hands. OKC will be ok, be patient. Rockets looking looking better without superstars. Amazing. Still need one more BIG PF or Center that can move and help against the bigs.....ala LA.
  3. Matt
    17. Posted by Matt Sun Nov 8 9:29am EST

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    When you have the 3rd pick in the draft its supposed to help your team. When you don't play the 3rd pick in the draft all but 10 minutes and play the same players who led you to be one of the worst teams in the league makes no sense. Are you telling your fans well we want to suck again so we can get a lottery pick and then play him 7-10 minutes a game. I don't know how many Thunder fans saw James Harden play in college, but this kid needs to be starting. If not he needs to be playing atleast 25 minutes a game to help the team. Kid is lights out from 3 point range, can slash to the hoop at will, and get his jump shot off the dribble at any time. Having to deal with him and Durant, Jeff Green along with Westbrook would be very tough. They are losing close games, which in my opinion they would be winning if Harden was playing. Play your 3rd pick and stop thinking the same people who got you no where last year will help. I understand they all can't start, but he needs to be the first guy off the bench. 10 minutes a game isn't going to help the Thunder. If I were the fans of this team I would be screaming about this. You got the 3rd pick in the draft to help your team, not to keep him on the bench. If you weren't planning on playing him why not draft someone who you will play? This type of decision is why the NBA didn't know if they wanted to give Oklahoma a basketball team because they probably weren't going to be good no matter how many top draft picks they get. At some point you have to look around and ask why. Why isn't James Harden playing? Why? Whose decision is that.

    I had to endure a very bad Celtics teams for a number of years before the grace of god got us KG and Ray Allen in which the Sonics (now Thunder) have Jeff Green. I miss the Sonics, I think the NBA isn't the same. Whose decision was it for the blue and orange uni's? Horrific. Why not deep dark colors that represent thunder? Why not a black and white? The blue and orange has to go. Anyway having to endure the Celtics horrible seasons I can understand this, but if they weren't playing the 3rd pick in the draft Boston would be calling anyone who would listen saying, "Why are we playing the same guys as last year that got us one of the worst records in the NBA!" "The reason we have the 3rd pick is because we sucked." You have to fight as fans for a winner. This would really piss me off and has pissed me off because I think Harden is going to be great in this league. This is the difference between a city that doesn't have passion about there team and a city that would do anything for a winner on the basketball court. Hardcore to I don't really care cuz we lose anyway. C'mon Oklahoma City put Harden on the floor, there was a reason you had the 3rd pick and will be in the same spot next year if there coaches and management don't get there heads out of there ass.
  4. TexBoy47
    16. Posted by TexBoy47 Sat Nov 7 9:25pm EST

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    We feel the same about you, Steven.
  5. Steven
    15. Posted by Steven Sat Nov 7 8:28pm EST

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    @#$% houston and the whole texas state.
  6. <i>faithloyaltyanddogs</i>
    14. Posted by faithloyaltyanddogs Sat Nov 7 12:59pm EST

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    rockets rockets rockets rockets rockets rockets

    I LOVE IT when the so-called analysts count us out....... do you really think this team can't make the playoffs? They are very deep in versatile scoring and they plkay awesome defense, in spite of having ZERO superstars and ZERO full sized centers.

    Adelman for COY
  7. Texas_Hurricane
    13. Posted by Texas_Hurricane Sat Nov 7 12:15pm EST

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    Post #12(BMW),

    You Sir Are Correct,I Have Never Seen Aaron Brooks Have Such A Difficult Time Guarding Another Player.That Dude Is Quick!
  8. BMW
    12. Posted by BMW Sat Nov 7 12:03pm EST

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    Both the Rockets and Thunder have a lot of future potential. Durant is really a great scorer. Within the next 2 years, he may break into the top 5 scoring threats in the NBA. He not only is versatile, but with his height advantage he is a extremely difficult match up and he is also of course very athletic.
  9. Texas_Hurricane
    11. Posted by Texas_Hurricane Sat Nov 7 11:46am EST

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    Once Again Adelman's Animals Prevail.

    His No Name Team Plays Like An All-Star Cast.

    They Will Be A Force In The West This Year,Not The Spurs!
  10. Nunya
    10. Posted by Nunya Sat Nov 7 2:39am EST

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    What Henry said.
  11. Henry
    9. Posted by Henry Sat Nov 7 1:33am EST

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    ............
  12. Anthony
    8. Posted by Anthony Sat Nov 7 1:32am EST

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    So has anyone ever given the thought that superstar players might not be needed? The Rockets never cease to amaze me.
  13. I see Socialist People
    7. Posted by I see Socialist People Sat Nov 7 12:29am EST

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    Well OKCthiefs, now the Thunder have lost on the road, wow they are at 50%.
  14. Cody G
    6. Posted by Cody G Fri Nov 6 8:36pm EST

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    LOL at OKCthiefs, 1 game on the road sure does prove their talent
  15. John
    5. Posted by John Fri Nov 6 7:55pm EST

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    kobe only had 31 against thunder and he struggled for that... get it right
  16. james
    4. Posted by james Fri Nov 6 6:35pm EST

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    please trade us durrant !! lmao
  17. OKC thiefs
    3. Posted by OKC thiefs Fri Nov 6 5:18pm EST

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    Thunder havent lost on the road all season!! Rockets are only 50%!
  18. OKC thiefs
    2. Posted by OKC thiefs Fri Nov 6 5:16pm EST

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    Thunder will crush Rockets unless they play andersen for 48 mins. 2nd!
  19. Leo
    1. Posted by Leo Fri Nov 6 4:27pm EST

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    Houston rocket is one of my favorite team to watch this season. Without a superstars yao and Mcgrady, they play really well by sharing the ball each other. One of the biggest problem is also without a superstars, they unable to finish on the tie-game like vs Laker last night. Ariza still need to develop to become a superstars. Thunder is a dangerous team because of lots of young talent in the team like Durant, and adding a rockies call Harden make the team much better. One of the problem of Thunder is less experience of a young team. They don't know how to finish the close game. I can stay tonight game is very fun to watch 1/1 ratio.
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Oklahoma City
R. Westbrook Russell Westbrook
14-25,  33 Pts
5 Rebs, 7 Assists
 Houston
L. Scola Luis Scola
8-13,  19 Pts
10 Rebs, 3 Assists

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