Durant will try to lead team past T Wolves

(Sports Network) - Kevin Durant's impressive scoring streak is over, and his Oklahoma City Thunder are now on a losing streak. Both the team and its star forward will try to get back on track tonight versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, who wrap a three-game road trip tonight at the Ford Center.

The Thunder won nine straight from January 29-February 21, picking up the ninth win of that run in Minnesota. However, Oklahoma City's streak came to an end on Tuesday with a loss to Phoenix.

Durant had 36 points in that loss, increasing his club-record streak of scoring at least 25 points to 29 games in a row. Hoping to close in on Michael Jordan's NBA-record run of 40 games with 25 or more points, Durant instead was limited to 21 in a 95-87 loss to San Antonio on Wednesday.

The second overall pick of the 2007 draft, Durant missed all four shots he took in the fourth quarter in getting held to fewer than 25 points for the first time since December 19.

"I missed shots. I got good looks that I made in the first half," Durant said. "[The Spurs] did a good job doubling, too. I missed some shots that I normally make, but give them credit."

Durant might not have to wait long for his next 25-plus point game. He is averaging 31.5 points in two meetings with the Timberwolves this year, a pair of victories in Minnesota. He had 32 when the clubs met on February 21, while Russell Westbrook had a triple-double with 22 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. Westbrook had 17 points, seven helpers and six boards in the loss to the Spurs.

Oklahoma City, sixth overall in the Western Conference, has won four of its last five at home and begins a three-game homestand tonight versus a Minnesota club it has beaten three straight times and in 10 of the last 13 meetings. The Timberwolves have dropped seven of the last nine road meetings in the series, but split the two played in Oklahoma City last year after the Thunder relocated from Seattle.

Kevin Love will try to keep up his hot play for Minnesota. Love had 19 points and 12 boards in Wednesday's 98-92 setback to Atlanta, giving him a double- double in three straight and five of his last six games. The fifth overall pick of the '08 draft is averaging 16.5 points and 12 rebounds in that span.

The Timberwolves, who were coming off of Tuesday's victory in Miami, got as close as two points in the final quarter of Wednesday's loss, the club's seventh in its last eight games, but never could grab the lead.

"We couldn't find a way to score," said Timberwolves head coach Kurt Rambis. "We were getting good looks. Early on in the fourth quarter we weren't doing a good job moving the basketball. That always plagues us; that's always going to run us into problems."

Ryan Hollins contributed 18 points in the loss, as Minnesota fell to 2-13 in its last 15 road games and 5-25 overall as the guest this year.

After tonight, Minnesota plays five of its next six at home.