The Thunder will enter Friday night’s contest in Salt Lake City on the heels of a Thursday night bout at the Sacramento Kings.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Date\/Time: 10:30 PM ET, Friday, February 10, 2012 Matchup<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Preview<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n It will be the second back-to-back stretch that Oklahoma City has had to endure in the last week, but they could catch a break against a Utah Jazz team that has won just one of its last five.<\/p>\n Despite owning the NBA’s best record, after pulling off a 119-116 win at Golden State on Monday, the Thunder (20-5) show no signs of slowing.<\/p>\n And although Kevin Durant’s bank shot with 14.2 seconds remaining proved to be the difference, the Thunder had too many lapses in this one.<\/p>\n Durant had 33 points and 10 rebounds, but as a team the OKC gave up a career-high 48 points to the Warriors’ Monta Ellis, not something they can afford to continue to do.<\/p>\n Russell Westbrook had a good game with 31 points and seven assists, but also turned the ball over nine times.<\/p>\n After trailing throughout the fourth, the Thunder finally took a 113-112 lead on Westbrook’s jumper from the top of the key with 1:48 left, but allowed the Warriors to regain the lead in the waning seconds before KD saved the Thunders’ hide.<\/p>\n The one area the Thunder did well in was in three pointers, going 11 of 26 from behind the arc.[soliloquy id=”82219″]<\/p>\n They also shot over 50.0 percent, and are a perfect 7-0 this season when doing so.<\/p>\n They’re going to have to dig deep on weary legs if they want to take this one away from a Jazz team that is will no doubt be hungry for a win after losing two consecutive match ups, including a 104-99 loss at Indiana earlier this week.<\/p>\n The Jazz (13-9) gave up the lanes and the perimeter, and struggled early on before exploding on a 17-4 spurt in the third, and then added 12 consecutive points to take an 85-84 lead on Josh Howard’s two free throws with 7:35 remaining. But they couldn’t hang on.<\/p>\n Paul Millsap had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Al Jefferson scored 16 points for Utah, while C.J. Miles scored 12 points for the Jazz, who are 2-7 on the road this season.<\/p>\n
\nVenue: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
\nBroadcast: ESPN
\nSpread: OKC -1
\nOver\/Under: 201.5<\/strong><\/p>\n