BOX SCORE For the first time in 80 games, the Thunder trotted out a different starting five tonight in Portland. No Thabo Sefolosha (neck strain), no Serge Ibaka (chest contusion). It was set to

BOX SCORE I think we learned two things tonight that we probably already kind of knew: 1) The Lakers genuinely aren’t very good, especially without Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol. 2) The Thunder are

BOX SCORE I don’t know what it was about tonight’s game. Maybe it was the terrible first quarter where the Thunder and Wolves each scored just 16 points. Maybe it was the relaxed atmosphere

BOX SCORE I thought they had learned. Evidently not. Much like last season when the Thunder fell in Washington to the lowly Wizards, Oklahoma City dropped a headscratcher to the now 5-28 Wizards, 101-99.

BOX SCORE OK, Kevin Durant, now that that’s out of the way, you can go watch your Skins. In a most unusual noon central time tip, the Thunder were mostly prepared and ready (unlike

BOX SCORE I think if you were to look up “proper bounce back game” in the pretend dictionary that would contain such a thing, this game would likely be referenced. Serge Ibaka summed it

BOX SCORE There’s something about P.J. Carlesimo being inside The Peake and the Thunder playing terrible. It can’t be a coincidence. Maybe seeing him patrol the sidelines with that constantly furrowed brow and his

BOX SCORE Play the Thunder on New Year’s Eve, and you lose. It’s basically science at this point. Oklahoma City improved to 5-0 on Dec. 31 with a fairly routine 114-96 win over the