Green's Layup Lifts Thunder over Pistons

Thunder improve to 2-0 with 105-104 thriller against Detroit.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:00 pm

By: News On 6

Green's Layup Lifts Thunder over Pistons

Originally Published: Oct 29, 2010 10:22 PM CDT

Grant Belcher
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

DETROIT – One day before taking on the Pistons, Jeff Green learned he wasn’t going to get a contract extension with the Thunder, making him a restricted free agent at the end of the year.

The next day, he went out and showed why he is such a critical piece to the Thunder franchise.

Green hit a driving layup with 2.5 seconds remaining to lift the Thunder to a 105-104 victory against the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Detroit inbounded the ball and was unable to get a shot off.

Green took the inbounds pass for OKC and could not find Kevin Durant, whom the play was drawn up for.

Durant was double teamed and could not find the ball, so Green drove baseline and scored over Detroit forward Jason Maxiell. Green finished with 21 points and five rebounds.

Durant led the Thunder with his usual 30 points and added eight rebounds.

OKC started quickly and led 26-21 after the first quarter, despite a number of sloppy turnovers early.

The Thunder sustained a lead for the majority of the game until the Pistons rallied back at the end of the fourth.

A pair of free throws from guard Rodney Stuckey brought Detroit to within 94-93, and the Pistons kept it close for the rest of the game.

Charlie Villanueva drained a 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining to give Detroit a 104-103 lead, its first lead since the beginning of the first quarter.

But Green’s heroics boosted the Thunder to 2-0, and dropped the Pistons to 0-2 on the season.

Serge Ibaka was arguably the Thunder’s MVP of the night, putting up 16 points and 10 rebounds. Ibaka’s improvement from his rookie season was obvious during the game - on Oct. 29, 2009 he registered his first NBA minutes against the Pistons, playing three minutes and grabbing one rebound.

Point guard Russell Westbrook once again flirted with triple-double numbers with 17 points, 11 assists and six rebounds.

The Thunder will return home for a Halloween night contest against the Utah Jazz at 7 p.m. at The Oklahoma City Arena.