First Quarter

I thought Portland was the team just coming off the back to back, Blake is playing real fast right now harassing Westbrook and denying him the ball. Portland also has the defensive intensity dialed up quite a bit right now. In comparison we just look tired and sluggish I hope they shake it off and start playing with a purpose.

Aldridge is matched up on Krstic and Green is on Oden it will be interesting to see how Jeff handles the 7fter. Aldridge is just beating Krstic to the ball rebounding and shooting; this is not looking like a good matchup for Krstic.

Westbrook is just not making good decisions tonight, he has more turns than assists already and it is not looking like it will get better.

Green is playing some good defense against Aldridge down in the low post.

Down 9 early in the game the Thunder is just not matching the intensity of the Trailblazers.

Etan Thomas is looking good comes in and provides some solid defense and positive energy

Roy picks up an early second foul. Now is when the Thunder needs to take advantage and cut into this lead.

Once again with Ollie in the game Harden is playing the point. Green with a big hustle play everyone else stopped when the 24 second clock expired, Green went up and grabbed the rebound.

Score to end the Quarter 16-25 Blazers

Second Quarter

That is almost the same score in the pistons game let's hope we get the same result.

Ollie knocks down an open shot maybe tonight is the night he shows us why he is getting so much play time.

Harden is playing some good defense on Fernandez harassing him around the court and as I type this Fernandez blows by him and throws up a shot. Harden grabs him as he goes by putting him on the line which is too bad because Etan Thomas was waiting and nearly knocked the ball flat.

Ollie, Collison, Green, Thomas, Harden on the court and no one can get a shot off the ball movement is really stagnant I have no idea why we are just trying to take turns going one on one.

Portland is playing good defense past the three point line. They have done a real good job of keeping the defensive intensity up and extending the defense past the three point line.

The shot blockers are really wrecking havoc on the thunder down low and with the outside shot not falling it is looking like it is going to be long night.

Outlaw has gotten about 4 traveling calls go against him which has allowed the Thunder to cut this lead down to nothing.

And the Thunder get their first lead of the game with 5 min left in half.

Blake has played some good defense against Westbrook harassing him into turnovers and has drawn a couple of fouls limiting Westbrook's minutes.

With Portland coming off the back to back I would have thought the thunder would have an energy advantage but so far they started with more energy and are still matching the intensity

Ollie has a chance at the lay in to tie the game but misses the shot.

Score to finish the half 39-37 Portland

Half

Well we haven't played really started to play yet, again, just like the pistons game only this time the score is a little closer and if Kevin Ollie puts that last gimmie in it's tied. KD is struggling I guess he was partying too hard after the longhorns win last night, which I would be too cause they are almost assured of getting into the national title now, Green is looking good and surprisingly enough he is even defending Oden and Przybilla. Considering the knock most people have on Green is that he is undersized defending the 7ft Oden and Przybilla is pretty good, he also has 6 rebounds compared to the 5 combined between Oden and Przybilla. Harden is 2-7 but he is 2-2 from three and has played a key role in keeping the game close. Nenad hasn't gotten it going yet he only has 1 shot attempt and one rebound. Westbrook has 1 assist and 5 turns so he needs to go have a talk with the Russell that played the first game and get some advice. I know he has it in him to be a good point guard I've seen him do it.

Third Quarter

Westbrook is getting loose with ball and nearly throws it away on a pass to a cutting Sefolosha.

Scott Brooks' defensive scheme is using a lot of switches with Green and Sefolosha, with an offseason to put his scheme in the Thunder defense has really improved.

Krstic much better defense on Oden, pushes him out past his comfort zone and forces the miss.

Westbrook goes high off the glass over Oden, Oden and Przybilla are both having an impact on the Thunder down low lots of shots blocked or deflected.

Blake is hot tonight 5-6 so far and it looks like he is feeling it, I expected Westbrook to be able to limit him a little more but with Westbrook on the bench that job is left to Ollie.

Thabo is really playing some good defense Roy is 3-12 at this point and hasn't been to the line at all tonight.

Westbrook so far 7 turnovers and 1 assist but OKC is still only down 5.

Westbrook is shooting well maybe he needs to call his own number a little more since he is having difficulty finding the open man.

Score to finish the Quarter 60-56 Portland

Fourth Quarter

This is the time to finish this game out.

Another character building opportunity if the Thunder is able to pull out the win at home against a team projected to challenge for the northwest division.

Let's turn this on it feels like the game is there for the taking but for how long we need to start making shots if we want to win.

Another defensive stand and another missed shot, they need to make these shots to have a chance to win.

Nothing is falling miller pushes the ball and puts it in for a 6 point Portland lead.

Thabo is back in on Roy; Roy gets fouled on the drive and gets his first free throws of the night with 5:30 left in the fourth quarter.

Final score 83-74 Portland

The Good and The Bad individually

The Good

James Harden

Shooting from 3 he went 2-3 from the land beyond. Harden also played good defense, considering how switching from zone in college to man in the NBA was supposed to be problematic the rookie has really done a good job making the adjustment. Harden also had two assists and one turn, not a great ratio considering he played the point a significant portion on his minutes but at least he took care of the ball.

Jeff Green

Jeff Green looked good again down low, both on offense and defense. Considering how much trouble Green was supposed to have against bigger PF's to see him matched up and holding his own against Oden and Przybilla. He had another bad game from three but still put up 19 points on 6-14 shooting along with 11 rebounds. I'll take 19 and 11 from Green every day.

Russell Westbrook

Pretty much the only thing keeping the Thunder in the game late was the heroics of Westbrook, going 8-12 from the field and 7-10 from the line for a total of 23 points. 

Etan Thomas

Another good game from Thomas, he really gave as good as he got down low going up against Oden and Przybilla. I thought he did an excellent job neutralizing arguably the biggest advantage the Trailblazers had headed into this one. 9 rebounds 4 points and a block in 26 minutes he was more effective than Krstic down low throughout.

Thabo Sefolosha

Held Brandon Roy in check for much of the game, Roy didn't shoot a free throw until there were five and a half minutes left in the game. Headed into the fourth quarter Roy had 9 points. Pretty much that means Thabo was playing good defense without fouling on one of the more dynamic scorers in the league.

The Bad

Durant shooting 3-21 and 0-5 from three, while he went 10-14 from the line and finished with 16 points that's just not the line we are expecting from Durant. The past two games Durant really just has not looked comfortable and this game it really affected his shooting. He did have 2 blocks and did play good defense throughout the game but the lack of offense really has a negative impact that the Thunder just were not able to overcome.

Krstic never got going; he went 0-4 but only had one shot in the first half. Considering the offensive display he had put on the previous two games this was something of a letdown and coupled with Durant's trouble the Thunder just lacked the offense to pull out the win.

Harden shot 2-9 from the field; while he made 2-3 from three going 0-6 from two isn't going to cut it.

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