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  • Russell Westbrook drives by Danilo Gallinari during Sunday's game against the Nuggets in Denver. Westbrook scored 36 points in the overtime loss. Richard A. Rowe/OKC Thunder photo

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January 22, 2013

Nuggets get revenge on OKC

BY DENNIS GEORGATOS Associated Press

DENVER — Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook teamed up on another scoring spree for Oklahoma City. In a tightly contested game, though, Kenneth Faried's driving layup made the difference for Denver.

Faried scored the go-ahead layup in overtime, and the Nuggets overcame 30-plus point performances from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to beat the Thunder 121-118 Sunday night, snapping Oklahoma City's six-game winning streak.

Corey Brewer scored 26 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Nuggets, who reversed a 20-point loss to the Thunder last Wednesday. Danilo Gallinari added 18 points and Faried finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Brewer also set up Faried with a pass on his decisive drive to the basket.

"He gave me the ball and said, 'Go to work,'" Faried said. "They weren't going to come double me, and I said 'I'm going to score on this.' There were no ifs, ands or buts about it. I was going to score."

Faried's driving layup gave the Nuggets a one-point lead they would not relinquish with 46.5 seconds remaining in overtime.

"He made a big-time play," said Nuggets guard Ty Lawson, who finished with 11 points and nine assists. "He took two dribbles, and the little jump-hook he'd been working on, he hit."

The Thunder, who beat Dallas in overtime Friday night behind a career-high 52 points from Durant, lost for the first time in five overtime games this season. They got 37 points from Durant and 36 from Westbrook.

"They're great players," Faried said. "That's what they're going to do. We've just got to neutralize the players around them, because once they really get involved, then here come the blowouts and the tough losses."

Westbrook said the Nuggets deserved credit for their play.

"I think they did a good job coming in playing aggressive," he said. "I think we were just a step late. They made some open 3s, but we still had a chance to win."

The game was a difficult one emotionally as well for Thunder coach Scott Brooks, whose 79-year-old mother, Lee, died on Saturday. In a statement released by the club earlier, Brooks thanked friends, family and the team for their support and said his mom would have wanted him to coach Sunday night's game.

"I do so to honor her memory and all that she meant to me as a mother and as an invaluable role model," he said.

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