Das Feller-Forum » defensive tactics after a dour 0-0 draw against N

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma City is having no problem adjusting to the occasional game without All-Start Russell Westbrook. The Thunder cruised to a 95-73 win over struggling Utah on Sunday night while their star point guard took the night off to rest his surgically repaired right knee. They did so behind 19 points from Kevin Durant, as well as a 17-point, 11-rebound effort from Serge Ibaka -- stretching their lead to as many as 37 points in the third quarter before finishing the game out with reserves. "We just wanted to play our game," Durant said. "No matter whos on the floor, we want to execute a game plan on both ends. "... Of course, we would love to have Russell out, but everybody stepped up." Durant sat out the fourth quarter for Oklahoma City (9-3), which won its fifth straight overall and sixth straight at home to open the season, its best opening stretch since moving from Seattle. Westbrook missed his first action since sitting for the seasons opening two games while recovering from the second of two off-season knee surgeries. Hes expected back when the Thunder host Western Conference leader San Antonio on Wednesday. Utah (1-14), which has lost six straight games, was led by 10 points apiece from Enes Kanter and Rudy Gobert. The Jazz looked for a spark in the lineup by starting former Michigan standout Trey Burke, the ninth overall pick in the June draft. Burke, playing in his third game since returning from surgery on his right index finger, struggled throughout -- finishing with four points on 2-of-9 shooting. Utah needed a 30-point fourth quarter to avoid its lowest point total of the season. As it was, the Jazz equaled their worst output of the season, and they nearly equaled their previous worst loss of 24 points -- which has happened twice this season. Utah, which shot just 39.4 per cent (28 of 71), is winless on the road at 0-9. Its the only Western Conference team without a road win, and the start is the worst on the road for the Jazz since opening the 1979-80 season 0-11 away from home. "Were trying to build who we are in this league with this group of guys, and weve got to have more of a sense of urgency to start a game, especially against a team thats this good," Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said. The game was third straight at home for Oklahoma City, which is in the middle of six-game home stand. Playing the Jazz provided the perfect opportunity for Thunder coach Scott Brooks to give Westbrook five straight nights off. The Thunder took a 75-38 lead late in the third quarter after a 3-pointer by Thabo Sefolosha, who finished with nine points, and they led 47-30 at halftime. "Our philosophy is like everybody else; we want to make teams take tough shots, and I thought we did that tonight," Brooks said. Reggie Jackson -- starting in place of Westbrook -- finished with 10 points. Jeremy Lamb added 15 points and Perry Jones had 13 off the Oklahoma City bench, which finished with a combined 36 points. "We trust them, we believe in them, and they believe in themselves," Sefolosha said. "Theyre playing extremely well, theyre improving, working really hard, all of them on their game and it shows." Oklahoma City struggled in the early going without Westbrook, hitting just one of its first eight shots. The cold shooting was short lived for the NBAs sixth-highest scoring team, which entered the game averaging 104.3 points per game. Even without their All-Star point guard, the Thunder hit 17 of their next 29 shots and finished the first half 18 of 37 (48.6 per cent) from the field. They led by as many as 20 points in the half, taking a 47-27 lead after back-to-back baskets by Ibaka, and the Jazz -- 29th in the league in scoring -- offered little resistance. Utah shot just 33.3 per cent (13 of 39) in the first half. "When youre not scoring, it puts a lot of pressure on your defence to stop a team to keep the game close," Jazz forward Marvin Williams said. "Unfortunately for us, the team we had to stop was Oklahoma City. Thats how a game can kind of get away from you pretty quickly." NOTES: The streak of Oklahoma City fans hitting halftime shots for $20,000 ended at two after a fan air-balled his second-quarter attempt. ... Thunder fans have hit five half-court shots during the 2013 calendar year ... Oklahoma City was 34-7 at home last season. Michael Kopech White Sox Jersey .James scored 29 points, including 16 in the first quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers broke a four-game losing streak with a 106-74 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night. Bo Jackson Jersey . Heavily-criticized after allowing a dozen goals on 58 shots in two games in Boston, Luongo continued his dominance at home. Hes now allowed two goals in three home games in this series. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/1584e-kodi-medeiros-jersey-white-sox.html . - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball. Ted Lyons White Sox Jersey . Cilic cruised to victory, beating the seventh-seeded Seppi 6-1, 6-3 in just 72 minutes. He faced only one break point, winning 24 out of 29 points played on the first serve. Al Lopez Jersey . - Josh Sterk scored twice to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 7-1 rout of the Ottawa 67s in Mondays Ontario Hockey League action.BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- Lionel Messi scored a superb goal in stoppage time to give Argentina a 1-0 victory over Iran on Saturday and secure his teams place in the second round of the World Cup. Iran had defended solidly throughout the game and also took the match to Argentina in the second half, creating several chances to win the Group F match and cause a tournament sensation. But Iran was punished for those missed chances when Messi picked up the ball about 20 yards (meters) out and curled a shot into the left hand corner. It was a moment of individual brilliance, and showed why Messi has been voted world player of the year no fewer than four times. Up until that point, he had been kept quiet by stoic Iran defending, while Argentina had at times been exposed to counterattacks. Iran had several chances to win it, especially in the second half. The best of those opportunities came in the 67th minute, when midfielder Ashkan Dejagahs powerful header from close range was tipped just over the bar by Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero. Earlier, lone striker Reza Ghoochannejhads header from close range was saved by Romero after a cross from thhe right.dddddddddddd He later missed a chance for a late winner when his shot was again saved by Romero. Before the match, Iran faced criticism for its defensive tactics after a dour 0-0 draw against Nigeria. But before Messis strike, Iranian and Brazilian fans were singing "Ole, ole, ole, ole, Iran Iran!" in recognition of the teams attempts to score a winner. But Messi denied Iran what would have ranked as its greatest result by drawing with the former world champions. The victory sent the pro-Argentina crowd into raptures and most of them stayed in the stands well after the match, chanting and waving scarves and flags, and watching highlights -- including Messis goal -- on the big screens. It almost looked like Argentina coach Alejandro Sabellas decision to return to an attacking lineup would backfire. In Argentinas 2-1 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Group F opener, Sabella started with a more defensive 5-3-2 lineup with only two strikers. He then changed to a 4-3-3 formation in the second half -- a system favoured by Messi -- and he continued with that lineup at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte. ' ' '