Apr 15, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Toney Douglas (0) argues a call with an NBA official as Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) hops off the floor after getting fouled on a 3 point shot during the first half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with their 104-95 win over the Sacramento Kings Monday night.

The Thunder improved to 60-21 on the year behind a game-high 29 points by Kevin Durant. Durant also had seven rebounds and eight assists. He made 10-of-18 shots and 3-of-5 threes.

Russell Westbrook scored 21 points and also had eight assists.

The Thunder were again without Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Martin who had each also missed the previous game with an injury.

Ronnie Brewer played the most minutes he’s had all season with the Thunder. In 31 minutes he had two points on 1-of-9 shooting to go with 13 rebounds and three assists.

The key for the Thunder was protecting the ball. They turned it over just 10 times which made up for a poor shooting night from beyond the arc where they went 5-for-23.

Reggie Jackson came in off the bench and scored in double-figures for the second straight game. He finished with 10 after going for 17 in Portland on Friday night.

Only one starter scored in double-figures for the Kings. Isaiah Thomas had 16 points while Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins were both held in check with relative ease.

Former Thunder Cole Aldrich actually played well scoring 12 points to go with 13 rebounds off the bench.

The Thunder will play their final regular season game at home Wednesday night vs. the Milwaukee Bucks.

January 25, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) attempts a shot over Sacramento Kings forward James Johnson (52) in the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder will look for their 60th win tonight and to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference as the Sacramento Kings come to town.

With two games left in the regular season at home, the Thunder need to win just one of them to ensure the top seed in the conference. They are currently a game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for that top spot.

The Kings shouldn’t pose much of a threat tonight, especially this late in the season when teams in their situation are usually better off losing to gain a higher draft pick.

The Thunder beat the Kings twice already this season by 10 points each time.

Still on the line is Kevin Durant’s chase to become the third player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring four straight seasons. Durant is currently averaging 28.1 points per game while Carmelo Anthony is leading the league averaging 28.7 per game.

It would take a huge scoring night with Durant probably needing to go for 50 or close to it in one of these last two games to catch Anthony.

More impressively though is Durant on pace to become just the seventh player in NBA history to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 90 percent from the free throw line.

Kevin Martin’s status tonight is uncertain. He missed the Thunder’s last game vs. the Portland Trail Blazers with back spasms. Kendrick Perkins also missed the game and may not play tonight either.

The Kings have been scoring at an unbelievable clip of late so the Thunder won’t be able to sleepwalk their way to victory. They will have to score a lot and the Kings won’t make that too difficult for them.

The game will tip at 8 p.m. EST.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins is known as a head case around the league. He’s in just his third NBA season and things like getting suspended by his own team are the kind of things that happen to him.

This was the work on Cousins even before he was drafted. He was going to need a good organization and league to reach his full potential in this league. The Kings have not been that for him thus far.

As the trade rumors are heating up, Cousins’ name is very much out there. The Kings said they aren’t planning to trade him but there are a lot of teams out there who are interested and making inquiries about him.

One team that should consider trading for Cousins is the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC is a perfect place for someone like Cousins to get his act together, playing with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Trading for Cousins wouldn’t be easy for the Thunder. They’d surely have to include Serge Ibaka, who they just signed to a 4-year extension this season, in a deal. But the potential of a Big 3 of Durant, Westbrook and Cousins would be so perfect.

Cousins has the talent to be one of the best big men in the league right now, no one denies that. He has a PER of 21.1 this season and is averaging 18.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game

When you watch him play, he jumps off the screen. He has incredible size and long arms and finesse for his position. In today’s NBA, there is really no one that can match him.

So if you were able to take Cousins, get him in shape and have him reach his potential, he could become one of the most dominant players in the league. Oklahoma City is a place where he could do that.

The biggest thing critics of the Thunder say is that they don’t score from the post enough. Durant and Westbrook are trying to do it more but they are still a perimeter based team. Ibaka is coming around as a solid third scoring option but he rarely scores from the post too.

Cousins would immediately fix this issue for the Thunder. The dynamic between Durant, Westbrook and Cousins could be pretty perfect.

At this moment, the Thunder have the best record in the NBA and aren’t looking to make any wholesale changes to their roster. Trading for Cousins would be doing that.

Buying low on a player is always a good decision in this league and teams may have a chance to do this on Cousins this year. The Thunder should consider it.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to a 105-95 victory on the road against the Sacramento Kings Friday night.

The Thunder shot 48.7 percent from the field and dished out 27 assists as a team in the game.

The Thunder trailed 30-27 after one quarter and then would outscore the Kings 59-37 in the second and third quarters to pull away.

This was the fifth road game in a row for the Thunder. They have won four of those five games and will complete their road trip vs. the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday afternoon for their next game.

Here are the Game Grades:

Kevin Durant – 34 minutes, 24 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists – A

Durant had a cool 24 on 7-of-12 shooting. His 11 defensive rebounds was a representation of the Thunder defense getting stops. Durant has been having to do a lot on his own in isolation situations recently but last night it was a more all-around effort from the Thunder.

Russell Westbrook – 32 minutes, 18 points, 14 assists, 4 rebounds – A

Westbrook’s 14 dimes are a season-high and just two off his career high. The Kings have the worst defense in the NBA and Westbrook certainly took advantage often finding players on backdoor cuts, catching the Kings sleeping. Westbrook really dominated Isaiah Thomas at the other end who torched the Thunder in the first meeting this year. Thomas got in foul trouble trying to handle Westbrook last night and had just seven points.

Serge Ibaka – 26 minutes, 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks – B+

The best thing about Ibaka’s game last night was getting to the line eight times. When he is more than just a jump shooter on offense and being aggressive going to the rim, it is a great sign for the Thunder.

Kevin Martin – 34 minutes, 24 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals – A

Martin was gunning from the start. He hit his first three 3-pointers then missed his next six and finished 4-of-10 from distance. He scored in other ways too as he was very active moving off the ball, taking advantage of the weak Kings defense.

Kendrick Perkins – 24 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists – B

Perkins did his job slowing down DeMarcus Cousins who scored 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting for the game. Perkins only made one basket and just had  a few rebounds as the Thunder didn’t need much from him.

Thabo Sefolosha – 19 minutes, 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals – B

When Sefolosha scores 10 points without hitting a three, you know the Thunder offense is getting a lot of easy buckets. He only played 19 minutes and scored in double-figures last night.

Nick Collison – 19 minutes, 6 points, 1 assist – B

Amazingly, Collison didn’t get a rebound but that’s probably just because Durant was getting so many last night. Collison of course finishes with the best plus-minus of any Thunder player still.

Reggie Jackson – 10 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds – B

Jackson made both of his shots but didn’t record an assist. He is becoming very good at attacking the rim and finishing in semi-transition situations.

Hasheem Thabeet – 16 minutes, 1 point, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks – B+

Thabeet was a presence last night and that’s all the Thunder want from him. He had one great defensive series in particular when he nearly had a steal then recovered back to the rim and blocked a shot. He did get posterized by Travis Outlaw unfortunately.

DeAndre Liggins – 14 minutes, 2 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist – A

It’s impossible to watch Liggins and not love the way he plays the game. He’s all over the place on offense and defense. His seven rebounds was a career-high.

Perry Jones, III and Eric Maynor played the final six minutes of garbage time.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder will look to bounce back from a loss for just the 10th time this season. In the previous nine instances, they won eight times.

The Thunder are on the road for the fifth straight game tonight vs. the Sacramento Kings who aren’t exactly the toughest competition out there. Sacramento has lost two straight coming into tonight and have won three of their last 10 games.

The Thunder’s loss two nights ago at Golden State came in spite of a huge effort from Kevin Durant in which he had 33 points and nine assists. Durant and the Thunder were unable to get much offense down the stretch however. Maybe it was the fact that it was their second game in two nights or that Durant was doubled on every touch and shots from role players simply weren’t falling.

Either way, the Thunder don’t like losing twice in a row. Only the Miami Heat made them do that this season.

The Kings come into the game giving up more points per 100 possessions than any team in the league. And they are playing the team that scores more points per 100 possessions than any team in the league. That is a big disadvantage and why the Thunder should easily roll to a victory tonight.

This will be the second meeting between these two teams this season. Oklahoma City won at home back on Dec. 14 113-103.

Durant had 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting in that game. Russell Westbrook had 13 points and 13 assists and Kevin Martin and Serge Ibaka each scored 18 points.

The Thunder shot 49.4 percent from the field for the game and got 14 offensive rebounds. If they come close to replicating that tonight, the Kings will have no chance.

DeMarcus Cousins was held to just 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting in the first meeting. Isaiah Thomas was a huge spark off the bench scoring 26 points and forcing the Thunder starters to return to the game late in the fourth after they had thought the game was in hand.

It’s never easy to win on the road in this league but then again it’s never difficult to beat the Kings. Coming off a loss, OKC isn’t likely to mail it in tonight and they should be well on their way to their 34th win of the season.

Jan 10, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings fans hold signs against the Maloof

After some back-and-forth about whether the Sacramento Kings were moving to Seattle or not, now it looks like they will.

The Maloof family that owns the Sacramento Kings has reached an agreement to sell a 65 percent controlling interest in the franchise to a Seattle group led by hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that NBA teams were formally notified Sunday night that the Kings have been valued at $525 million and that the parties have executed a purchase agreement, which still requires league approval.

Via Marc Stein of ESPN.com

It was reported earlier that the plan of this Seattle group, led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer, is to move the team to Seattle next season and have them play in the old Key Arena that the SuperSonics last played in. The new arena that is being built in downtown Seattle won’t be ready until the 2015-16 season.

Reports are also surfacing now that Phil Jackson is going to be a big part of the Seattle SuperSonics upon their return. He’s not going to coach but be the face of the front office.

Source says almost living lock Phil Jackson will become front office face of Seattle-bound Kings’ franchise. Won’t coach. Will mentor choice

— Peter Vecsey (@PeterVecsey1) January 21, 2013

Yahoo! Sports is also reporting that the Seattle group is targeting San Antonio Spurs general manager R.C. Buford and former Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird as possible candidates to become the new GM of the team.

The current GM of the Kings, Geoff Petrie, is in his final year of his contract and will not be retained.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It was reported yesterday that the Maloof brothers were very close to finalizing a deal to sell the Sacramento Kings to an ownership group from Seattle.

Shortly after that, reports started surfacing that the Maloof brothers had rejected the offer made by the Chris Hansen-led Seattle group.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who had first reported the potential sale, described the deal as “First and Goal from the 1-yard line.”

Now it is looking like the sale of the Kings is far from over and we may start hearing all kinds of rumors in the upcoming days or weeks as to what will happen.

We also are hearing today that the NBA has issued a memo to all owners to not talk about the possible Kings’ sale.

The city of Seattle was rejoicing yesterday about the potential return of their beloved Sonics and while there is still of course a very good chance of this being the case, the celebrating will be on hold for a little until something is finalized.

Hansen’s group from Seattle have begun construction on a new arena that will be ready for the 2015-16 NBA season. Their plans are to move the team to Seattle next year though and have them play in Key Arena which is the last place the Sonics played back in 2008.

Here is an interesting quote from Clay Bennett back in 2008: “We will reserve the name Sonics and SuperSonics and the marks and the colors and will not use them. But we will return them to (Seattle) if a team does indeed return to Seattle.”

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

It looks like the NBA is returning to Seattle as the Maloof family is reportedly finalizing an agreement to sell the Sacramento Kings to an ownership group from Seattle.

The Maloofs are finalizing an agreement to sell the Sacramento Kings to the Hansen-Ballmer led Seattle group, sources tell Yahoo! Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 9, 2013

The Seattle ownership group is led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer. It has been reported that the sale of the Kings will be for $500 million which would be the most a team has ever been sold for.

Hansen’s group is already underway building a new arena in Seattle located near Safeco Field where the Seattle Mariners play. That arena won’t be ready until the 2015-16 season and until then, the new team plans to use Key Arena which is where the Sonics last played.

An agreement has not been signed yet and the Maloofs have a history of backing out of deals at the last minute but sources close to the situation believe there is just about no chance of this deal not happening.

The last season of the Seattle Supersonics was back in 2007-08 which was Kevin Durant’s rookie season. The only Oklahoma City Thunder players that remain with the Thunder from that Sonics team are Durant and Nick Collison.

The Kings relocated from Kansas City to Sacramento back in 1985. They had a great run under the Maloofs especially in the early 2000s when they were closes to winning a title in 2002.

Dec 14, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots the ball over Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas (22) and power forward James Johnson (52) during the second half at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 113-103. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Though the Sacramento Kings made a late surge and threatened to turn the game in their favor, the Thunder held them off for a 113-103 win and in doing so extended their winning streak to ten straight games.

Durant scored 31 points while Serge Ibaka added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Russell Westbrook had 13 points and 13 assists as well.

With a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter, it looked as if OKC’s stars would be able to rest, and coast to their tenth consecutive victory. But the Kings had other plans; they found new legs and cut the lead to ten points, forcing the Thunder to push back and close out the game in their favor.

For Sacramentp, Isaiah Thomas absolutely exploded in the fourth quarter, putting the team on his back and getting them back into the game. The Kings brought the score to 103-98 thanks to Thomas, who put up all 26 of his points in the final 13 1/2 minutes. He dropped four 3-pointers, a layup and a jumper during their 23-4 run at a comeback. Durant, Ibaka, and Russell Westbrook came back into the game late in the fourth quarter sluggishly by their standards, giving OKC fans a scare. Durant and Westbrook both missed their first attempts while Thomas scored a layup in between their misses. But then Durant rebounded a missed shot by Jimmer Fredette and laid it it for OKC, followed by back-to-back made buckets by Ibaka.

The Thunder would finish strong and would make a little history in doing so: the win marks the franchise’s longest winning streak since 1996, when the Seattle Supersonics won 11 games in a row.

Oklahoma City improves to 19-4 on the season, and will face the San Antonio Spurs at home on Monday. Like with the Lakers, this matchup could be a preview of what’s to come from these Western Conference foes come playoff season.

Richard Rowe-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder will look for their 10th straight win tonight as the host the Sacramento Kings.

The Thunder won three of four games vs. the Kings last season including all three meetings at the end of the year in April.

Kevin Durant averaged 29.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game vs. the Kings last season.

This season the Thunder are currently hotter than any team in the NBA while Sacramento’s roster has become the bud of many jokes.

During their 9-game winning streak, the Thunder have risen to the most efficient offense in the NBA while also being top 10 in defensive efficiency. The Kings are at the bottom offensively and defensively ranking 25th or worse in each.

The Kings will get starting center DeMarcus Cousins back tonight after he missed the last game serving a suspension for a low blow to O.J. Mayo a few nights ago. Cousins is Sacramento’s most talented player and scored 32 points vs. the Thunder in one of the meetings last year.

The Kings have taken over the last place spot in terms of assist ratio that the Thunder held last year. While OKC made up for it with superior isolation play last season, the Kings don’t quite achieve that level this year and their low assist totals are a big reason why they aren’t winning.

The Thunder survived a little scare in their last game coming from behind in the final quarter to beat the New Orleans Hornets. That was a sort of wakeup call for the Thunder who hadn’t gotten slightly comfortable in their winning streak.

Just two days removed from playing, expect a better performance from OKC tonight hosting Sacramento.

The game will tip-off at 8 p.m. EST.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Sacramento Kings Team Overview

The Kings finished with a 22-44 record last season, good for second worst in the Western Conference.

As per usual the last few seasons, last year was kind of a mess for them. Tyreke Evans continues to kind of regress from his stellar rookie season a few years ago. DeMarcus Cousins is far from reaching his potential. Lottery pick Jimmer Fredette hardly saw the court while the last pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, Isaiah Thomas, had a very nice season establishing himself as the starting point guard.

The Kings landed a player that their fans should be very excited about in the 2012 NBA Draft in Thomas Robinson. Robinson had a great season at Kansas last year and is a high character guy with a high motor that could really change the culture amongst the young players in Sacramento.

The talent is seemingly there in Sacramento but making the pieces fit is not going to be an easy challenge. The Kings also added Aaron Brooks to help with their backcourt depth next season but the playoffs seem nearly impossible barring a huge turnaround.

Last year

The Oklahoma City Thunder played the Kings four times last year and beat them three of those times.

The Kings won the first meeting on Feb. 9 in Sacramento 106-101. The Kings rallied late in the fourth quarter to steal this game as the Thunder turned the ball over 23 times in the game.

Kevin Durant had 27 points and Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 33 on 15-of-26 shooting. James Harden scored 17 while Serge Ibaka had 10 blocked shots.

The Thunder then played the Kings three times in an 11-day span between April 13-24 and won every time.

OKC blew out the Kings at home April 13 115-89. Durant had 29 points in 30 minutes, Westbrook had 22 and Harden did not play.

Durant had a near triple-double a few days later in Sacramento as the Thunder won 103-92. Durant finished with 29 points, seven assists and 14 rebounds. Westbrook had 18 and Harden had 20.

In their final meeting of the season, OKC won 118-110 at home. Durant had 32 and Westbrook had just 13. Daequan Cook had 19 and made four 3-pointers as Harden once again did not play.

Durant averaged 29.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game vs. the Kings in four games. He shot .472 percent from the field and .467 percent from three.

Westbrook averaged 21.5 points and shot .514 percent from the field.

The matchup

The Kings had the 26th ranked offense overall in the NBA last season in terms of points per possession. They were especially weak on isolation plays ranking 23rd despite turning to those plays 15.3 percent of the time.

They were strong on transition ranked 4th in the league and the pick-and-roll where they ranked 10th. They only ran the pick-and-roll 14.4 percent of the time and were second to last on spot-up shooting plays.

Defensively the Kings were second to last in the league overall meaning they just about had no way to slow down the Thunder. They weren’t too bad against isolation plays ranking 11th but the Thunder were 2nd best in the league scoring in isolation situations.

The Kings’ best chance to beat the Thunder was to push the tempo and make it a high-scoring game. The Kings can’t always keep up with the Thunder in a game like this but if they catch them on a night where the Thunder defense isn’t too crisp, they can keep the game close, as they did a few times last year.

Next year

The Thunder will play the Kings three times next year first in OKC on Dec. 14, then in Sacramento Jan. 25 and last in OKC on April 15.

The Kings aren’t expected to improve dramatically next season but they have the talent to play any team including the Thunder close from time to time. Robinson is a candidate to win Rookie of the Year and should have a great year although the matchup vs. OKC isn’t ideal for him.

Cousins had some big games vs. the Thunder next season and if he ever takes over, which he is capable of on any given night, the Kings could beat the Thunder.

The real question is with Evans and if he will figure out how to improve next season. If he does, he has All-Star potential but if not, expect another mess in Sacramento next season and for them to probably lose to the Thunder all three times.

Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder are rumored to be interested in acquiring Jimmer Fredette who just finished his first season in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings.

Fredette appeared in 61 games for the Kings and played 18.6 minutes per game. He averaged 7.6 points and 1.6 assists per game.

The Thunder would be able to trade for Fredette by offering Eric Maynor to the Kings, who was one of the best backup point guards in the NBA before getting injured last year. The Kings had a nice rookie season from Isaiah Thomas at point last year but Maynor could definitely help them out.

The situation in Sacramento apparently isn’t working out great for Fredette either and he may want out himself. It’s a team with not a lot of structure right now in Sacramento and Fredette is kind of on his own, playing a style that isn’t going to make him any friends especially from NBA veterans.

Everyone fits in, in Oklahoma City though and Fredette would definitely be welcomed. Maynor will become a restricted free agent next summer too assuming the Thunder do not offer him an extension before then so he is likely on the way out anyway. Maynor is a valuable asset on the floor and the Thunder would like to get something for him if he will be gone anyway.

We know what Fredette is known for. He can really shoot the three and do so with unlimited range. With the Thunder built around an isolation heavy offense with Durant-Westbrook-Harden it opens up a lot of opportunity for good spot-up shooters. Fredette would fit in seamlessly.

Fredette was most efficient last season in the pick-and-roll and as a spot-up shooter, in the half court and on the fast break. He struggled in isolation settings although he does have the game to improve in that area as he ages. He also surprisingly struggled shooting coming off screens but he did so rarely and didn’t play a lot of time with a real point guard last season either.

Shooting over 40 percent on threes in the pick-and-roll and as a spot-up shooter would make him a perfect fit in OKC. Head coach Scott Brooks is even one to give a shooter an ultimate green light as is the case with Daequan Cook who fires up deep threes all the time for the Thunder. Fredette would play a similar role that Cook does but provide a little more offensive ability as well.

The Thunder were right around the middle of the pack last year in 3-point attempts and percentage. It’s an area they’d like to improve on a little bit as they have been so efficient everywhere else.

Fredette to the Thunder is just a rumor right now and nowhere close to happening. It’s a trade that seems like it could make sense for both teams though and may be possible.

Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

Jimmer Fredette is the kind of basketball player that should fit in anywhere. But that’s not what’s happening in Sacramento.

In his rookie season last year with the Kings, Fredette played 18.6 minutes per game and just .386 percent from the field. He was a lottery pick but found himself getting less run than Isaiah Thomas who was picked dead last in the same draft.

Sam Amico of Fox Sports says: “Speaking of Kings, Jimmer Fredette would love to go someplace where someone other than just DeMarcus Cousins will pass him the ball. Thunder would love to pry Fredette away from Kings as replacement for Derek Fisher. Kevin Durant is a Jimmer fan.”

There is no indication that the Thunder have openly expressed interest in acquiring Fredette and right now their priorities are elsewhere, mainly contract negotiations with James Harden. But Fredette would be a perfect fit wearing a Thunder uniform.

One of the things the Thunder could use is a deadly 3-point shooter, which Fredette surely is or at least can blossom into. He has unlimited range and would make it that much more difficult to help on Durant-Westbrook-Harden.

Fredette might provide a pretty big defensive liability that the Thunder would prefer not deal with but he could make up for it with his offense and it’s always possible to hide some guys on defense.

The Thunder aren’t necessarily looking for a replacement for Derek Fisher either. Eric Maynor will be back from injury next season although his last season for the Thunder will likely be next year.

Then there’s Reggie Jackson who is coming off a pretty unimpressive rookie season but did show some promise in the summer league.

Fredette would be a welcome addition to the Thunder if it became a possibility. Durant being a fan of his would make it that much better too.

It’s not something that will happen anytime soon but it’s always fun to dream about the future of this Thunder team.

Here are draft grades for every team:

New Orleans Hornets
No. 1 overall – Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
No. 10 overall – Austin Rivers, G, Duke
No. 46 overall – Darius Miller, G/F, Kentucky

The Hornets really couldn’t go wrong possessing the first overall pick in the draft and chance to take Anthony Davis. Davis has a chance to be a franchise changer and playing alongside Eric Gordon in New Orleans is a good start. The Hornets took Rivers 10th overall which is what they wanted to do. The Hornets believe Rivers can play some point for them although he is a scoring guard at heart. Gordon is a good playmaker himself though so the two may be able to share ball handling duties a la Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. The Darius Miller pick is nice too. He is an athlete that could make it in the NBA and was a teammate of Davis’ at Kentucky.

Grade: A+

Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 28 overall – Perry Jones, III, F, Baylor

To win a championship, sometimes it takes a little luck. The Thunder got the steal of the 2012 NBA Draft with the No. 28 pick. Perry Jones III we knew was going to fall because of concerns mainly surrounding his knee but sliding this far to a franchise that is perfect for him just seems unfair to the rest of the league. It was a Spurs-like snag for OKC and they know it already. Jones III has lottery talent and top-5 pick potential. One knock on him is that he never really stepped up and dominated and was more of a supporting role type of mindset and player. Well, come on down to OKC that sounds just fine!

Grade: A+

Charlotte Bobcats
No. 2 overall – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
No. 31 overall – Jeffrey Taylor, G/F, Vanderbilt

The Bobcats were supposed to either trade the No. 2 pick or take Thomas Robinson if they couldn’t. Instead, they shocked everyone selecting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist second overall. MKG is a player that will shine no matter where he plays, even in Charlotte. He has the potential to be the second best player in this draft class and it was a wise choice to make here by Michael Jordan. Jeffrey Taylor is a good pick too in the second round. Taylor was projected to go a little earlier in the draft and is a nice value find at 31.

Grade: A

Washington Wizards
No. 3 overall – Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
No. 32 overall – Tomas Satoransky, G, Czech Republic

The Wizards got the man they wanted at No. 3 but had to hold their breath and pray before doing so. As the Bobcats were shopping the No. 2 pick, any team that may have gotten it was probably going to take Bradley Beal second overall. The Wizards desperately wanted an elite shooter and wing to place alongside John Wall and they believe Beal is that guy. Beal measured just under 6-foot-5 so he’s not huge but he is physical and can do a lot of things on a basketball court. Tomas Satoranksy in the second round apparently is friends with Jan Vesely which makes that pick awesome too.

Grade: A

Sacramento Kings
No. 5 overall – Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

It was impossible not to fall in love with Thomas Robinson watching him break down after being selected fifth overall by the Kings. He won over a lot of fans with that reaction. Robinson is touted as one of the surest things at the top of this draft. The Kings wanted him bad too at No. 5, more than anybody else. Sacramento was going to pull off a trade with this pick with Houston if Robinson was off the board but obviously that didn’t happen. Robinson and DeMarcus Cousins are going to be able to get a lot of rebounds playing together.

Grade: A

Detroit Pistons
No. 9 overall – Andre Drummond, PF/C, Connecticut
No. 39 overall – Khris Middleton, SF, Texas A&M

The Pistons are extremely happy that Andre Drummond fell to them. Before the draft, they were hoping for this but planning to settle on John Henson. Drummond has as much upside as anyone in this draft. There are questions surrounding him but he is very young. It was the right pick here for Detroit without question. Khris Middleton isn’t someone that jumps out as a great pick here but at No. 39, there’s not a lot to expect.

Grade: A

Milwaukee Bucks
No. 14 overall – John Henson, PF, North Carolina
No. 42 overall – Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

The Bucks were pretty happy to see John Henson at No. 14 especially after trading down from 12 with Houston. Henson is the kind of guy Milwaukee wanted and someone who will block a lot of shots and grab some rebounds but really needs to put on some weight first. Doron Lamb is another player they were happy to see at No. 42. He could have gone in the first round and is an irrational confidence guy who can shoot and play some D too.

Grade: B+

Cleveland Cavaliers
No. 4 overall – Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
No. 17 overall – Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

It wasn’t a huge shocker that Cleveland took Dion Waiters No. 4. They were planning on possibly doing so and after being unable to trade up to No. 2 and take Beal, Waiters was the next guy on their list, probably just ahead of Harrison Barnes. It wasn’t an overly popular pick but Waiters has an NBA-ready body and next to Kyrie Irving should do well. With Tyler Zeller sliding in the draft, the Cavaliers pulled the trigger on a trade with Dallas to get to No. 17 and take the North Carolina center. They gave up three picks for Zeller so they must really like him. Now with a core of Irving, Waiters, Thompson and Zeller, Cleveland’s future looks kind of alright.

Grade: B

Portland Trailblazers
No. 6 overall – Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
No. 11 overall – Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
No. 40 overall – Will Barton, SG, Memphis

Before the Draft, Portland was intent on keeping their 6th and 11th picks and they also loved Damian Lillard. Six may sound high for Lillard but Portland did something smart: picking their favorite guy and not caring where they did it. They then filled a need at 11 with Meyers Leonard, the center from Illinois. Portland was projected in some mocks to take Andre Drummond and either Austin Rivers or Jeremy Lamb. That sounds a little better than what they ended up with. They get Will Barton at No. 40 which is another solid value pick as he was projected late-first by many.

Grade: B

Golden State Warriors
No. 7 overall – Harrison Barnes, G/F, North Carolina
No. 30 overall – Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt
No. 35 overall – Draymond Green, F, Michigan State
No. 52 overall – Ognjen Kuzmic, C, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Despite his overall disappointing feeling, many still feel Harrison Barnes can be an All-Star in the NBA. Getting him at No. 7 was a pretty solid pick for the Warriors, who are starting new next year post-Monta Ellis and with Andrew Bogut. Festus Ezeli with the last pick of the first round is understandable too and he is a high-character guy who will work hard for them. Draymond Green is another good pick to get in the second round. The Warriors didn’t have a flashy draft but they made some value picks and that’s always a good strategy.

Grade: B

Houston Rockets
No. 12 overall – Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
No. 16 overall – Royce White, F, Iowa State
No. 18 overall – Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky

The Rockets were stockpiling draft picks with one thing on their mind: Dwight Howard. That hasn’t happened yet and now feels like it won’t. They were hoping to move up to No. 5 to take Andre Drummond but since Thomas Robinson fell to the Kings there, they weren’t trading that pick. The Rockets will settle for three pretty solid players starting with Jeremy Lamb at No. 12 who has a lot of pro potential as a scorer. When they took Royce White at No. 16, you knew they weren’t trading their picks anymore. White has gotten a lot of buzz this draft as a more athletic Boris Diaw who plays a little like Charles Barkley too. Terrence Jones two picks later is another talented forward that can do a variety of things. You always feel players Daryl Morey drafts are guys who can find a spot in the NBA. The Rockets just had bigger sights for this draft than this.

Grade: B

Phoenix Suns
No. 13 overall – Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

It’s just about official now that Steve Nash is on his way out in Phoenix. Kendall Marshall is their point guard of the future. Marshall was one of the best assists men in college the past two seasons and has drawn comparisons to Mark Jackson and Andre Miller so yeah, he’s not quick. He’s fun to play with and will make the players around him better. They like that in Phoenix.

Grade: B

Chicago Bulls
No. 29 overall – Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

The Bulls were either going backup point here or combo-guard shooter. Marquis Teague is a talented player with this pick and someone who may be able to play alongside Derrick Rose some. It’s nothing special for the Bulls but a good pick nonetheless. Bulls fans were dying for Perry Jones III to slip one more pick into their laps.

Grade: B

Toronto Raptors
No. 8 overall – Terrence Ross, SG, Washington
No. 37 overall – Quincy Acy, PF, Baylor
No. 56 overall – Tomislav Zubcic, PF, Croatia

The Raptors would have loved to see Harrison Barnes fall one more pick into their laps. They would have loved even more to move up and snag Dion Waiters. They settle for Terrence Ross who can do things that will make him have a solid NBA career: shoot threes and defend. Quincy Acy in Round 2 could be a Reggie Evans type which is something this franchise has experience with. Tomislav Zubcic will not come over right away. If Toronto gets Steve Nash, a lot of their problems will appear solved.

Grade: C+

Orlando Magic
No. 19 overall – Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
No. 49 overall – Kyle O’Quinn, C, Norfolk State

The Magic are in a weird situation and have been ever since Dwight Howard started pouting. Howard ran their head coach and GM out of town and still wants out himself. He hasn’t gotten it yet but it’s really only a matter of time. Orlando’s picks of Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O’Quinn may have been logical, but they won’t make their fans feel better yet

Grade: C+

Boston Celtics
No. 21 overall – Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
No. 22 overall – Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
No. 51 overall – Kris Joseph, SF, Syracuse

We knew Jared Sullinger would drop, we just didn’t know how far. The Celtics are in a rebuilding stage now and looking to bulk up their front court with Sullinger and Fab Melo. The Celtics were hoping for Royce White here or to trade up and take Doc Rivers’ son Austin Rivers in the lottery. The best case scenario for Kris Joseph (taken No. 51 overall) is Gary Forbes, according to DraftExpress.

Grade: C+

Philadelphia 76ers
No. 15 overall – Maurice Harkless, SF, St. John’s
No. 27 overall – Arnett Moultrie, PF/C, Mississippi State

Philadelphia fans are not happy with the decision to take Maurice “don’t call me Moe” Harkless 15th overall. When you draft a guy who plays the same position as your best player at No. 15, it never feels like it makes sense. Harkless came out after just one year at St. John’s and is said to have some pro potential but he’s nothing special. The 76ers traded up with Miami to get Arnett Moultrie at No. 27. It’s just another lateral move here for Philly. Their fans want more than that.

Grade: C

Denver Nuggets
No. 20 overall – Evan Fournier, SG, France
No. 38 overall – Quincy Miller, G/F, Baylor
No. 50 overall – Izzet Turkyilmaz, PF, Turkey

The Nuggets surprisingly went with Evan Fournier at No. 20 despite some talent sitting on the board. Fournier will not come over to the NBA next season but was the highest rated international prospect of the draft. The Nuggets clearly weren’t looking to try and strike gold with late first round picks this year. They’ve already accomplished that with Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried. Their pick at No. 38 felt a little better. Some fans wanted Quincy Miller with the 20th pick so getting him this late is a win in that sense. Miller is young with a ton of potential but has the usual question marks. Denver went with another international product late in the second round that we won’t see in the NBA right away.

Grade: C

Atlanta Hawks
No. 23 overall – John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
No. 43 overall – Mike Scott, F, Virginia

Nothing special here for Atlanta. John Jenkins could be decent but he won’t turn any heads. He can really shoot it though and might get some run for the Hawks where Josh Smith is on the way out. It would have been great if Atlanta had decided to draft Marquis Teague here and run an all-Teague backcourt with his brother Jeff. Love the Mike Scott pick.

Grade: C

Dallas Mavericks
No. 24 overall – Jared Cunningham, G, Oregon State
No. 33 overall – Bernard James, C, Florida State
No. 34 overall – Jae Crowder, F, Marquette

It doesn’t seem like Dallas was trying to do a ton in this draft. They dealt their 17th overall pick to Cleveland probably because there was no one they were in love with. They got three picks back for it and didn’t do anything crazy with them. One of the cooler moments in the draft though was Bernard James having his name called and walking to the podium. The crowd started chanting “U-S-A” because James served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dallas’ main priority this offseason is wooing Deron Williams and/or Dwight Howard.

Grade: C

Memphis Grizzlies
No. 25 overall – Tony Wroten, Jr., PG, Washington

The Grizzlies wanted a point guard and a lot of mocks had them going with Marquis Teague but they choose Tony Wroten, Jr. instead. Jay Bilas calls Wroten, Jr. a taller Rajon Rondo. That means he’s a good passer and can’t shoot a lick. Maybe it’s what Memphis needs and there is some upside there.

Grade: C

Utah Jazz
No. 47 overall – Kevin Murphy, SG, Tennessee Tech

Utah has enough young players from the last few drafts that they didn’t care too much about this year. Kevin Murphy is the only player from this draft to score 50 or more points in game last year in college. Why not?

Grade: C

Miami Heat
No. 45 overall – Justin Hamilton, C, LSU

Miami could have had Perry Jones III at No. 27 and it would have been just as scary as OKC getting him if not more so. They just didn’t want to have to pay a first rounder this year. Their cap space will be tight the next few seasons. They trade down here and get a 7-footer which they need. Something tells me we won’t see a ton of Justin Hamilton playing for the defending champs.

Grade: C

San Antonio Spurs
No. 59 overall – Marcus Denmon, G, Missouri

The Spurs drafted him so he’ll be an All-Star in four years. Marcus Denmon feels a little Patty Mills/James Anderson. The Spurs probably aren’t expecting too much from Denmon though.

Grade: C

New York Knicks
No. 48 overall – Kostas Papanikolaou, F, Greece

Not doing anything here. The home crowd really loved this pick at least.

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Clippers
No. 53 overall – Furkan Aldemir, PF, Turkey

Love this pick. He may never play in the NBA but he is a great rebounder and can only score on putbacks, according to Fran Fraschilla. What’s not to love?

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Lakers
No. 55 overall – Darius Johnson-Odom, SG, Marquette
No. 60 overall – Robert Sacre, C, Gonzaga

Darius Johnson-Odom plays the wrong sport. He’d be an awesome football player and used that to his advantage in college for Marquette. He will look a lot smaller in the NBA. If Robert Sacre is playing for the Lakers next season, it won’t be a good thing.

Grade: C-

Brooklyn Nets
No. 41 overall – Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas
No. 54 overall – Tornike Shengelia, PF, Georgia
No. 57 overall – Ilkan Karaman, PF, Turkey

Brooklyn not trying to go crazy here. They are just praying for Deron Williams and Dwight Howard to hookup in their new city. Tyshawn Taylor might make it as a backup point in this league but nothing more. Tornike Shengelia goes by “Toko” and is a 6-foot-9 scorer who is good at attacking and can score around the rim well but has no jumper. Ilkan Karamen has a ton of tattoos and may “never play in the NBA” according to Fran Fraschilla.

Grade: C-

Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 58 overall – Robbie Hummel, SF, Purdue

Kevin Love, Chase Budinger and now Robbie Hummel. Good luck rest of league.

Grade: C-

Indiana Pacers
No. 26 overall – Miles Plumlee, PF, Duke
No. 36 overall – Orlando Johnson, SG, UCSB

This may have been the worst draft pick ever, worse than Sam Bowie. With names like Perry Jones III, Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli on the board, Indiana elects to take the worst Plumlee brother, Miles. If they weren’t Indiana and known for their white hoopsters, this would be an even worse pick. It’s still so horrible though words can’t describe it. There’s nothing that could make this pick ever make sense. They get Orlando Johnson from UCSB in the second round who was a 20-point scorer last year and might do something for them.

Grade: F

• The Boston Celtics have expressed interest in moving up into the lottery. The Celtics have the 21st and 22nd picks in the first round. Their number one target is reportedly Duke guard Austin Rivers, son of Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.
• The New Orleans Hornets also have Rivers atop their list for the No. 10 pick. This means that Boston would have to try and move into the top nine to take Rivers. The only teams who could conceivably move out of the top 10 are the Sacramento Kings or the Golden State Warriors although neither seems likely.
• Kings and Rockets trade talks for the No. 5 pick have intensified. The Rockets are looking to get the fifth pick to take Andre Drummond. Sacramento doesn’t seem to be sold on any player to draft except for Thomas Robinson. Once Robinson is drafted, if it is before No. 5, the Kings will likely pull the trigger on trading the fifth pick to Houston for a few of their first round picks and Kyle Lowry.
• The Charlotte Bobcats who have been shopping their No. 2 overall pick for awhile now have reportedly narrowed down the candidates to the Cavaliers and Rockets. The Rockets number one mission is to get pieces to send Orlando’s way for Dwight Howard. The Cavs have the 4th and 24th pick in the first round and any deal for the No. 2 pick with Charlotte would include both of those.
• This means the Thunder are 99% not trading James Harden. It never felt like it was really going to happen anyway.
• The player most teams seem to want to get at No. 2 is Bradley Beal, unless the pick stays with Charlotte in which case they’d likely pick Thomas Robinson. Beal will not drop past Washington at No. 3.
• If Beal is off the board at No. 3, the Wizards would still likely look for a shooter as opposed to picking Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They went into the draft many believed having Harrison Barnes high on their board and would also possibly take Dion Waiters instead of MKG.
• The Portland Trailblazers really want Damian Lillard. They have the 6th and 11th overall picks. They have heard that Lillard will not be available at 11 so they may have to take him at 6.
• The Detroit Pistons will reportedly select John Henson at No. 9 if he is there. Drummond may drop to No. 9 but if he doesn’t, Detroit is probably going with Henson.
• The Thunder aren’t necessarily looking to pick a player at No. 28 that will play next year. That means they could be leaning toward Evan Fournier from France and also now Kostas Papanikolaou of Greece.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Kevin Durant scored 32 points to go with nine rebounds and did not play in the fourth quarter as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 118-110 Tuesday night.

Durant came into the game leading Kobe Bryant in the scoring department by 0.4 points per game. Durant is now averaging 27.97 points per game on the season while Bryant is at 27.86. Both players have one game left to play in this season.

The Thunder trailed at halftime and trailed by four entering the fourth quarter. Without their starters they came back led by Daequan Cook who scored a season-high 19 points in the game and made four three-pointers.

The defensive intensity was nonexistent in this one with the Thunder allowing 58 percent field goal shooting by the Kings in the first half and over 52 percent for the game.

The difference for Oklahoma City was getting to the line as they made 33-of-36 free throws in the game with Durant leading the way going 15-for-16.

Russell Westbrook only played 27 minutes and again didn’t have his best shooting night making 4-of-13 from the field and scoring 13 points. He did however add six assists and eight rebounds.

The Kings were a mess all night despite being in the game throughout. They got 32 points from DeMarcus Cousins who did not however provide the same results on the defensive end of the floor.

The Thunder will close out the regular season at home tomorrow night against the Denver Nuggets.

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Oklahoma City Thunder (1-game losing streak)
106.9 Offensive Efficiency (2nd)
99.7 Defensive Efficiency (9th)
95.6 Pace (6th)
56.6 True Shooting % (1st)
51.4 Rebound Rate (5th)

Sacramento Kings (1-game winning streak)
100.5 Offensive Efficiency (22nd)
106.8 Defensive Efficiency (28th)
97.3 Pace (1st)
50.8 True Shooting % (27th)
48.8 Rebound Rate (24th)

The games don’t matter anymore for the Thunder. They have two games left in the regular season but they are locked in to being the two-seed in the Western Conference no matter the results.

James Harden will not play tonight after receiving a vicious elbow from Metta World Peace two days ago in Staples Center.

The Thunder probably won’t completely rest their players tonight – Scott Brooks has said before that he has no intentions of doing this – but don’t expect 40-plus minutes from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook either.

There is something to play for however and that is Durant and his chances at winning the scoring title for the third straight season. Durant passed Kobe Bryant on Sunday and is now 0.05 points ahead of Bryant in the race. It’s the closes scoring race since George Gervin and David Thompson.

The NBA has a history of players putting up video game-numbers when scoring races are like this but it is unlikely that Durant and Bryant are as motivated to win it. They’re more concerned with the playoffs at this point.

The Thunder have beaten the Kings twice in the past few weeks and are looking to win the season series 3-1 tonight with a victory.

The Kings are kind of in tank mode so a win won’t be too tough to come by, even without Harden.

These next two games really don’t matter though for the Thunder so while the Lakers game had a playoff-feel to it, these next two will be far from that.

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

James Harden had been struggling of late for the Thunder averaging only 13.0 points per game during a stretch of nine games that the Thunder only won four of.

Harden has really picked up his play in the last two games, scoring a career-high 40 points against Phoenix Wednesday night and then 20 points last night as the Thunder beat Sacramento 103-92.

Harden has been noticeably more aggressive in the last two games averaging 30.0 points, 3.0 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game. He’s shooting 62.1 percent from the field and made 7-of-14 threes and all 17 free throw attempts.

This is the Harden the Thunder need come playoff time. Granted, the Thunder haven’t played the strongest opponents the last two nights but it has been noticeable in general how much more Harden is looking to attack.

Russell Westbrook is still not himself averaging 21.3 points per game in the month of April while shooting 40.9 percent from the field.

The question is what would you rather have in the playoffs? Westbrook at his best or Harden?

The Thunder played their best basketball of the season with Westbrook at his best but I believe their ceiling is higher and chances for making a deep playoff run is greater with Harden at his best.

We know Kevin Durant is going to get his. It’s a matter of who gets to step up when Durant needs someone to.

Think of it like this, when Westbrook isn’t at his best he still can give hustle and defense and make athletic plays that are really valuable to the Thunder. When Harden is off, he can turn into more of just a spot-up shooter. The Thunder get more out of Westbrook when he’s off than they do from Harden.

The Thunder have three games left this regular season with the next one being in Los Angeles against the Lakers tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. EST. The game will be on ABC.

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Kevin Durant led the Oklahoma City Thunder with 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists to beat the Sacramento Kings 103-92 Friday night.

James Harden would also put together a nice game for the second time in a row with 20 points off the bench to go with three assists and three steals.

The Thunder made it look easy tonight shooting 53.3 percent from the field while Sacramento was at 40.9 percent. The Kings kept it close in the first half thanks to 15 offensive rebounds in the first two quarters.

Russell Westbrook continues to not be putting up huge numbers with only 18 points tonight on 8-of-15 shooting. This game did not require maximum effort from the Thunder however so Westbrook’s presence was unnecessary.

Serge Ibaka blocked eight shots tonight and had 10 last week when the Thunder played Sacramento. With one more game against the Kings this season Ibaka will look to add to his league-leading block total.

DeMarcus Cousins was a victim of Ibaka often tonight and finished just 8-of-21 from the field for 18 points.

The Kings appear to not have any fight left in them. That is fortunate for the Thunder who still remain a half game back of San Antonio for the top spot in the West after the Spurs beat the Lakers tonight.

The Thunder (46-17) will play in Los Angeles against the Lakers (40-24) in what will be the final game of a five-game road trip Sunday at 3:30 p.m. EST.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Oklahoma City Thunder (1-game winning streak)
107.2 Offensive Efficiency (2nd)
99.7 Defensive Efficiency (9th)
95.7 Pace (6th)
56.7 True Shooting % (1st)
51.6 Rebound Rate (3rd)

Sacramento Kings (1-game losing streak)
100.3 Offensive Efficiency (22nd)
107.1 Defensive Efficiency (29th)
97.3 Pace (1st)
50.8 True Shooting % (27th)
48.8 Rebound Rate (24th)

The Thunder have put themselves into a position where they need to win just about every game here on out to capture the one-seed in the Western Conference. They have four games left and two are against the Kings.

The Thunder beat Sacramento last week 115-89 pretty easily. Kevin Durant scored 29 points in that game and Russell Westbrook 22. The starters weren’t needed in the fourth quarter.

Turnovers were a problem for the Thunder the first time they played the Kings this season but they did a good job last game with only 14.

The Kings are pretty much in tank mode the rest of this season but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t have a huge night from DeMarcus Cousins or Tyreke Evans and make this one close.

James Harden broke out of his semi-slump in the Thunder’s last game against Phoenix as he scored a career-high 40 points on just 17 shots. The Thunder are going to need Harden playing at a high level with the playoffs right around the corner.

Westbrook has still been struggling though shooting 10-for-32 in his last two games but he has a good chance tonight to get back on track as he is shooting nearly 57 percent against the Kings this season.

The other story line would be Durant and his chase of LeBron James for the MVP award. Durant has put up big numbers against the Kings in the past and a 40- or 50-point game tonight would give Durant a much needed boost in the MVP race.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Russell Westbrook stole the show tonight with this thunderous alley-oop finish in the second quarter on lob pass from Kevin Durant in transition.

The dunk electrified the crowd and set the tone for the rest of the night as Oklahoma City cruised to a 115-89 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Durant led the team with 29 points and nine rebounds and needed to play just 30 minutes. Durant also turned the ball over seven times.

Westbrook scored 22 points to go with five assists and six rebounds. The two combined to shoot over 50 percent from the floor and needed to as the Thunder were without James Harden for the night.

The Thunder turned the ball over 23 times and gave up 17 offensive rebounds when they played the Kings two months ago. Tonight, Oklahoma City committed just 14 turnovers and gave up eight offensive rebounds while crashing the glass themselves with 16 offensive boards.

Kendrick Perkins led that charge with a double-double, scoring 11 points and pulling down 11 rebounds – five offensive.

DeMarcus Cousins tried to get established early but Serge Ibaka wouldn’t let him as he blocked seven shots on the night. Cousins scored just nine points and was 3-for-14 from the field.

Derek Fisher and Daequan Cook shot well in Harden’s absence combining for 27 points. Cook hit three threes and had 13 points while Fisher scored 14, though Jimmer Fredette was covering him most of the time.

The Thunder (43-16) play tomorrow night in Minnesota (25-35) in what will be the first of five in a row on the road for them. Kevin Love suffered a concussion against the Denver Nuggets and likely won’t play tomorrow night or at all the rest of the season.

I’ve said all year that if someone is going to challenge Blake Griffin for the dunk of the year it’s going to be Russell Westbrook.

Tonight he had one of the best dunks of the season catching this lob from Kevin Durant in transition.

The Thunder lead 58-39 at halftime. Westbrook has 12 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds. Durant leads the team with 17 points and 6 rebounds.

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Thunder (1-game losing streak)
107.3 Offensive Efficiency (1st)
99.7 Defensive Efficiency (9th)
95.5 Pace (6th)
57.0 True Shooting % (1st)
51.4 Rebound Rate (4th)

Kings (6-game losing streak)
100.3 Offensive Efficiency (22nd)
106.4 Defensive Efficiency (28th)
97.4 Pace (1st)
50.8 True Shooting % (27th)
49.0 Rebound Rate (23rd)

With the race for the number-one seed in the West tightening, it should put a smile on Thunder fans that they get to play the Sacramento Kings three more times this season.

Tonight, Oklahoma City will play the Kings for the second time this season, the Thunder lost in the first meeting 106-101 as Sacramento rallied back in the fourth quarter.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 60 points in that game but the Thunder also turned the ball over 23 times and gave up 17 offensive rebounds to the Kings.

The Kings are going through a tough stretch right now eliminated from the playoffs and having lost their last six.

DeMarcus Cousins who had a nine-game stretch not too long ago averaging over 26 points per game has only averaged 12.8 points per game over his last five.

The Thunder have lost four of their last seven games with all of the losses coming at the hands of playoff teams – Memphis, Miami, Indiana and L.A. Clippers.

Oklahoma City is only a half game up of the San Antonio Spurs for the top seed in the Western Conference. The Thunder have a slightly easier schedule remaining than San Antonio.

Tonight is the last home game for awhile for Oklahoma City who will go on a five-game road trip beginning tomorrow night.

A win tonight is important and shouldn’t be too tough. Limiting turnovers and keeping the Kings off the glass will no doubt be the emphasis.

Durant and Westbrook combined to shoot 10-of-35 last game against the Clippers. It would be nice to see both get back their shooting rhythm tonight against a Kings team that probably won’t put up too much of a fight.