who was matched on

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder put on one of their best shooting displays of the season Thursday night -- and their fans seem to be following the teams cue. Omar Infante Jersey . Durant scored 28 points and the Thunder made 51.9 per cent in beating the Los Angeles Clippers 105-91. But that pales in comparison to what Oklahoma City fans are shooting this week during a second-quarter promotion at Chesapeake Energy Arena. For the second straight game, and the fifth time during the 2013 calendar year, a Thunder fan hit a half-court heave to win $20,000 in a contest sponsored by MidFirst Bank. Brad Brucker, a 33-year-old business teacher at Piedmont High School, made the money shot two days after another fan, Cameron Rodriguez, hit from midcourt in a win over Denver. As Brucker left the floor, he was greeted and congratulated by recording stars Beyonce and Jay-Z, who watched from courtside seats next to Durants family. Brucker said the experience "didnt feel real." Durant joked after the game that "we might go broke after these guys, theyre hitting every half-court shot." But he added it was fun watching fans hit those shots. Durant also enjoyed watching the Thunder post their second-best shooting outing of the season and lead all the way against Los Angeles in a matchup of Western Conference powers. Oklahoma City has won its first five home games of the season for the first time since 2004-05, when the franchise was in Seattle. Durant also had eight assists. Serge Ibaka added 17 points and three blocked shots. "I thought that was probably as well as we can execute a game plan and execute on both ends of the floor, on offence and defence in the second half," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "Seventeen assists and five turnovers in the second half, and we made them miss a lot of shots. I thought we played good throughout the game, but really did a great job in the second half." The Clippers beat the Thunder 111-103 in Los Angeles on Nov. 8. But they missed their first seven shots in the rematch, fell into a quick 10-point hole and never dug themselves out of it. Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers noticed early that something was amiss. "In the first quarter, you could see we didnt have it offensively," Rivers said. "Everybody was kind of missing shots. We didnt have any rhythm, no speed. When we dont have any pace by anybody, you know thats not a good sign. We didnt tonight." There were a couple of bright spots for the Clippers. In his return to his hometown, Blake Griffin scored 27 points on 12-for-23 shooting and also had 10 rebounds. Hes had a 20-10 double in 10 of the last 12 games, and has posted an NBA-high 100 such games since the start of the 2010-11 season. The Clippers Chris Paul also extended his NBA-record streak while finishing with 17 points and 12 assists. He has opened the season with 13 straight games in which hes had at least 10 points and 10 assists. Magic Johnson held the previous record of 11 such games to open the 1990-91 season. "We just couldnt get it going, honestly," Rivers said. "I thought our offence -- our defence let us down by the end -- but at halftime, I thought it was still more of our offence. The way weve played the last couple of games, with the ball movement and all that - that was all gone tonight." Los Angeles pulled within 81-75 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, but Nick Collisons three-point play and a jumper by Jeremy Lamb put the Thunder up by 11. Baskets by Los Angeles Ryan Hollins and Jamal Crawford made it a seven-point game, but Oklahoma City scored the next seven points and took its biggest lead of the game to that point at 93-79 on a free throw by Lamb with 7:11 left. Los Angeles didnt cut the margin below double digits the rest of the game. Crawford scored 18 points for the Clippers, who hurt themselves at the free-throw line, finishing 7-of-15. Russell Westbrook scored 12 and Lamb added 11 for the Thunder. Oklahoma City took advantage of the Clippers early shooting woes to take a 13-3 lead just over five minutes into the game. Los Angeles struggled at times against the Thunders interior defence, as Ibaka and rookie Steven Adams each blocked a pair of shots in the first-half. Oklahomas City led by 13 before taking a 51-43 edge at halftime. Griffin, limited to six points in the first half, scored seven straight baskets for the Clippers during the third quarter and his 20-foot jumper pulled Los Angeles within 68-62. The Thunder rebuilt its lead with a basket from Kendrick Perkins, a three-point play from Durant and a 17-foot jumper by Ibaka. NOTES: Clippers F Matt Barnes missed his second straight game with a left eye injury sustained when he caught an inadvertent elbow from Memphis Zach Randolph on Sunday. Barnes and Ibaka were ejected after a second-quarter altercation when the Clippers and Thunder played on Nov. 13. ... Rivers had high praise for the Thunders Adams, whom Oklahoma City drafted in the first round this past summer. "Hes going to be good," Rivers said of the 7-footer from New Zealand. Rivers watched in a pre-draft workout when Rivers still was coaching the Boston Celtics. "He has great hands and can shoot the ball pretty well. Hes big. He has size and what is he, 20?" . Paul played his first two NBA seasons in Oklahoma City with the team then known as the New Orleans Hornets and says he always enjoys coming back. "Always," he said. "I won rookie of the year here. My first two years this was my first experience in the NBA. Ill always have a love for OKC." Sparky Anderson Jersey . Erik Logan, president of the network, said Friday that the postponement was made after meetings with the St. Louis Rams. Jeimer Candelario Jersey . Mark Teahen scored the go-ahead run in the home seventh on an error by Scott Sizemore, who had knotted the game with a solo homer in the previous half- inning. Paul Konerko then hit an RBI single which proved to be the winning run.CINCINNATI - Ben Roethlisberger faked a handoff, retreated into his end zone, held the ball long enough for rookie Martavis Bryant to run past the cornerback, and then let it fly.The throw was perfect.The Bengals were finished — for the day, and maybe more.Roethlisberger threw for three touchdowns, including a 94-yarder to Bryant as the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled away to a 42-21 victory on Sunday that turned the AFC North back into a totally wide-open division.All four teams are within 1 1/2 games with three to play.The Steelers (8-5) needed a win to stay in the race. They got it with the help of big games by Roethlisberger and LeVeon Bell, who scored three touchdowns.We have a great opportunity in front of us, so Im going to embrace it, said Bell, who ran for 185 yards and had six catches for 50 yards. This is the part of the year where things get a little tight, they get more exciting. Everybody in the locker room is excited about this last couple of weeks.The Bengals (8-4-1) saw their division lead slip to a half-game over the Steelers and Ravens. Instead of pulling away, they find themselves just trying to hold on.Cincinnati has lost to division rivals Cleveland (7-6) and Pittsburgh by 21 points in each in its last two home games. The Bengals havent lost consecutive home games by 21 points since 2002 under Dick LeBeau, who is the Steelers defensive co-ordinator.Andy Daltons fumble started the Steelers toward a 25-point rally in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh piled up piled up 543 yards overall, 229 of them in the fourth quarter.Not even a huge game by A.J. Green — 11 catches for a career-high 224 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown — was enough to keep it close. Pittsburgh got its most lopsided victory in Cincinnati since 2008.This is like playoff football now, Bengals cornerback Adam Pacman Jones said. That is December in the NFL. Everyone is upset about this game. This team has a number of leaders. We will get this figured out.Things learned in Pittsburghs blowout win:BENS BACK: After three subpar games, Roethlisberger was back in form. Lance Parrish Jersey. He hit his throwing hand on a player and had numbness in his fingers during a loss to New Orleans, but threw accurately with his bare right hand on a cold afternoon. Roethlisberger improved to 18-4 in his home state — 8-2 in Cleveland, 10-2 in Cincinnati.CANT KEEP UP WITH BELL: Bell has totalled more than 200 yards rushing and receiving in each of his last three games, joining Walter Payton as the only players to put together such a streak.LeVeon is the best back in the NFL, Steelers safety Mike Mitchell said. I dont know that there is another one out there playing like he is right now.DALTONS BIG MISTAKE: Dalton set a club record with a 20-yard touchdown run, the longest scoring run by a Bengals quarterback. He faked a handoff to Jeremy Hill, and the Steelers let him run untouched to the end zone. When he tried another fake to Hill in the fourth quarter, he lost hold of the ball. The fumble started Pittsburghs big comeback.At that point, they get points off the turnover, scored a touchdown, and then they scored pretty quick after that, Dalton said. You cant have a play like that at that point in the game.REST OF THE WAY: Cincinnati plays at Cleveland, hosts Denver on a Monday night, then finishes in Pittsburgh. The Steelers play at Atlanta before hosting Kansas City and Cincinnati. Baltimore hosts Jacksonville, plays at Houston, and hosts the Browns. Cleveland hosts Cincinnati and finishes the season at Jacksonville and Baltimore.INJURIES: Cornerback Ike Taylor, who was matched on Green, played with an injured right shoulder and left knee until the fourth quarter, when coach Mike Tomlin decided he couldnt keep up. ... Steelers linebacker James Harrison was inactive because of a sore knee, depriving him of a chance to play against his team from last season.___Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '