Wild Night Ends With Thunder Loss

By Randy Renner

What a night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The bottom line was an ugly 115-111 Thunder loss in overtime but there was oh so much more.

The Thunder had what appeared to be a choke-hold on the game up by 10 with 2:15 to play...then Serge Ibaka and LaMarcus Aldridge had choke-holds on each other and then some people in the stands were screaming and yelling at each other then throwing punches at each other.

The fight occured in a seating section where team family members generally sit, among others.  

And then the Thunder got lost in the wilderness trying to defend a 3-ball they knew was coming from Damian Lillard...splash, ballgame. 

Well not quite, the game was tied at that point but you kinda knew this one would not end well for the home team. 

Lots of folks will have headaches after this one. 

Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 40 points but it took him 30 shots to get there. Lillard scored 40 points too but it just took him 21 shots. He hit eight 3-pointers.  The Blazers hit 17 long balls, it was bombs away from everywhere.

After the Thunder blew the coverage on Lillard's game-tying three they also blew the play they were trying to run on the other end. It ended with a loooong three from Russ that missed the mark and on to overtime we went.

"Tough loss, give Portland credit they made a bunch of shots on us. We made mistakes on defense down the stretch and we didn't keep our composure." 

Scott Brooks was not only talking about the Ibaka scuffle but also a technical foul called on Westbrook that Russ admitted started things rolling in the wrong direction. 

The Thunder now have lost two games at home they should have won and find themselves on the road to San Antonio next.  

Oh and who knows when Kevin Durant will be back in the lineup. At least he was out on the bench tonight instead of back in the lockerroom icing his ankle. 

He's officially listed as day-to-day so maybe Thunder fans will get a Christmas present Thursday and he will be back in the lineup. 

If not it could be a grinchy kinda Christmas.