OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant said his first pro matchup with Greg Oden didn’t provide him with any extra inspiration.
His performance spoke louder than his words.
Durant, taken second after Oden in the 2007 draft, scored 31 points and outplayed Portland’s center to help Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Trail Blazers 102-93 on Friday.
Oklahoma City (12-38) never trailed and snapped a three-game losing streak. Portland, which had won four of its previous seven road games, fell to 0-4 in Oklahoma City, having also lost three times in the Ford Center during the two seasons the New Orleans Hornets played in the arena.
Brandon Roy led Portland (30-19) with 32 points, nine rebounds and six assists. The Trail Blazers, who had outrebounded their past six opponents, didn’t do so against the Thunder, with Oklahoma City holding a 43-37 advantage.
“We played well. We played together,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. “We beat one of the best teams we’ve played all year, one of the best teams in basketball.”
Nick Collison and Earl Watson each had a double-double for the Thunder. Collison finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds while Watson came off the bench to record 12 points and 11 assists, the sixth time this season he’d reached double digits in assists.
Oden, from Ohio State, and Durant, a guard out of Texas taken second that year by the Seattle SuperSonics — now the Thunder — had met only once previously, in the 2006 McDonald’s All-American high school game.
Brooks downplayed any rivalry angle between Durant and Oden.
“Kevin loves to play basketball,” Brooks said. “I don’t think he looks at certain games as more important than others.”
Meanwhile, Oden struggled. He started Friday leading NBA rookies in double-doubles with 14, but finished with four points and two rebounds.
Friday’s results
Celtics 110, Knicks 100
NEW YORK — Paul Pierce scored 26 points and Ray Allen finished with 22 to help Boston beat New York.
Pacers 107, Magic 102
INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Granger scored 14 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, and Indiana beat Orlando to snap a three-game losing streak.
Hawks 102, Bobcats 97
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Marvin Williams scored 29 points and his impressive free-throw shooting keyed Atlanta’s comeback from a 17-point deficit in the Hawks’ win over Charlotte.
Hornets 101, Raptors 92
NEW ORLEANS — Peja Stojakovic scored a season-high 28 points and New Orleans tied a franchise record with 15 3-pointers, snapping its four-game losing streak.
Clippers 126, Grizzlies 105
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Zach Randolph had 35 points and 10 rebounds, while Ricky Davis added a season-high 24 points as Los Angeles snapped a seven-game losing streak.
Nuggets 124, Wizards 103
WASHINGTON — Denver’s Carmelo Anthony delivered 23 points, eight rebounds, six assists as the Nuggets celebrated their best 50-game record (34-16) since they joined the NBA in 1976.
Jazz 111, Kings 107
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Deron Williams scored 34 points on a badly bruised thigh and hit the go-ahead layup with 20.2 seconds to play, leading Utah past Sacramento.
Suns 115, Warriors 105
PHOENIX — Grant Hill scored a season-high 27 points and Phoenix pulled away in the final 3½ minutes to beat Golden State.
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