OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder love to get out and run. Rob Gronkowski Jersey . When theyre allowed to do it, it doesnt take long for games to get out of hand. Russell Westbrook and reserve James Harden each scored 24 points, Kevin Durant added 20 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Detroit Pistons 99-79 Monday night for their fourth straight blowout win at home. The Thunder built up a 30-point lead midway through the second quarter and Detroit got no closer than 17 after the opening period. "Thats always our motto we live by is getting stops and running out," "Today, thats what we did and we were able to get some easy layups and get everybody going." Rookie Brandon Knight led Detroit with 13 points. Rodney Stuckey and Greg Monroe added 12 apiece. Stuckey appeared to re-aggravate a nagging groin injury in the second half. Frank said hed be re-evaluated Tuesday. The overmatched Pistons -- last in the league in scoring, rebounding and turnovers committed -- never stood a chance from the start. Ben Gordon missed his second straight game because of a sore left shoulder, and Will Bynum (foot) and Charlie Villanueva (ankle) also remained out. Westbrook had a right-handed throwdown dunk and Durant got out in transition for a layup and a three-point play as the Thunder took control with a 9-0 run after Stuckeys basket to open the game. Oklahoma City was already up by 19 late in a first quarter in which Detroit missed 15-of-18 shots and got outrebounded 16-6. The official stats credited the Thunder with 15 fast-break points but Pistons coach Lawrence Frank chalked up 21 of Oklahoma Citys 31 first-quarter points to transition play. Two baskets came on putbacks after fast-break misses. "They have great speed and quickness. But for us, we just didnt do enough to make them play against a set defence," Frank said. "We just didnt." Frank said Detroit had nine shots within three feet of the basket in the first period that proved fruitless. "Unfortunately, they were either blocked or led to their break," Frank said. "When you get run out of the gym, its normally your turnovers. I think we only had one turnover during that stretch." "Youve got to give their defence some credit but you have to get back," Frank added. Another stretch of nine points in a row put the Thunder ahead 51-21 after Durants jumper from the right side with 5:31 to go before halftime. Oklahoma City made 22 of its first 33 shots. Even when things seemed to be going well for Detroit, they didnt. Brandon Knight, Jonas Jerebko and Damien Wilkins had a 3-on-1 in transition against Thabo Sefolosha that ended when Sefolosha blocked Jerebkos shot to keep the Thunder lead at 60-33 going into halftime. Durant called it Oklahoma Citys best defensive performance of the season, holding Detroit to just 34 per cent shooting. It was the second-best in terms of points allowed, behind only the 74 points allowed in a win at New Jersey one game earlier. "We did a good job defensively," Westbrook said. "I think we did good job of coming out and making our presence known defensively." Oklahoma Citys starters had sat out all of the fourth quarter in the previous three games at Chesapeake Energy Arena and that streak was only stopped because Serge Ibaka replaced an injured Nick Collison with the rest of the backups for the first two minutes of the fourth quarter. Collison sprained his left ankle and didnt play after halftime. He is day-to-day leading into Wednesdays game against New Orleans. Detroit lost for the 11th time in its last 13 games and was unable to follow Saturdays 94-91 win against Portland with another strong performance. "The bottom line is this is who we are. ... We havent been consistent, so thats where were at right now," Frank said. "So, were just going to have to work a whole lot harder and smarter and tougher together to not have performances that resemble this." Frank said the Pistons got deflated after Oklahoma Citys early run and needed to "tie those shoes up tighter and take a stand." "I just know we have a whole lot more to give and a whole lot more talent in that locker room to have performances like these," Frank said. "We just cant accept it." NOTES: Kendrick Perkins picked up his sixth technical foul of the season in the final minute of the first half, with the Thunder up by 29. He faces a one-game suspension if he gets to 13. ... Monroe was 1-for-10 in the first half. He missed shots on four of Detroits first five possessions. ... Ibaka blocked a season-high five shots for the second straight game and also pulled down 10 rebounds. Tavon Wilson Jersey . -- Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin will have minor shoulder surgery soon to address a nagging injury he played with last season. Dan Connolly Jersey . Parmelee hit a game-ending shot in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins overcame David Ortizs big night to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-6 on Tuesday.MADRID, Spain -- Atletico Madrid took full advantage of Barcelonas rare slip-up as it pummeled Real Sociedad 4-0 on Sunday to take sole possession of the lead in the Spanish league for the first time this season. David Villa, Diego Costa, Miranda, and the newly arrived Diego scored the goals that put Atletico clear at the top of the standings, having shared the lead with Barcelona for much of the campaign. Atletico holds a three point advantage over Barcelona and Real Madrid after Athletic Bilbao rallied to draw 1-1 against Madrid, which finished without Cristiano Ronaldo after he was red carded. Substitute Ibai Gomezs volley cancelled out Jese Rodriguezs opener for Madrid, which played the final 15 minutes a man down after Ronaldo was sent off for swiping his hand across Carlos Gurpegis face following a shove from his opponent. The contact seemed light, but Gurpegi fell to the ground as if hed been hit hard. Atletico honoured former player and coach Luis Aragones before the match and fed off the emotion at the Vicente Calderon Stadium to boost its attempt to break the Barcelona-Madrid monopoly with a first championship since 1996. Barcelona lost 3-2 to Valencia on Saturday, and Atletico did not waste the opportunity to go top by itself for the first time since that championship-winning season. Not since Valencias league title a decade ago has a club other than the big two won the Spanish league. Diego Costa was lively from the start, and the Brazilian-born Spain striker fed Villa inside the box in the 38th minute to finish off a quick break by scoring the opener. Villa sustained a leg injury moments later and had to be replaced by Raul Garcia. With the home fans chanting Aragones name throughout, Atletico came alive in the second half as Garcia found Diego Costa racing free between defenders in the 72nd and the forward beat goalkeeper Claudio Bravo with a right-footed shot for his 20th league goal of the season. Two minutes later, Miranda headed home a corner kick out of Braavos reach for 3-0 before Diego, who came on in the 58th for his first appearance in his return to the club, marked his return to Atletico by dribbling into the box to unleash a rising shot into goal with three minutes remaining. Andre Tippett Jersey. "This is something nice for the players, who have made such effort and go into every single game with the same intensity and work ethic," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. "Luis would appreciate the teams courage, since he was a courageous type with character, just like this team." Atletico leads with 57 points, while Barcelona and Madrid share 54 points. Jese lunged to guide Ronaldos cross into the area beyond goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz for the 65th-minute opener in a game that was dominated by Bilbao up to that point. Gomez made up for earlier misses by Aritz Aduritz and Ander Herrera when he ran onto a cleared ball outside the area to rip an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Diego Lopez in the 73rd. The intensity boiled over moments later when Ronaldo and Gurpegi tangled, the Ballon dOr winners straight red card means he will miss Madrids next game. "Its difficult when you lose a player without reason," Madrid defender Marcelo said. "Its already difficult to score one point here but Madrid has the obligation of winning every game. So (the red card) made it tougher." Gomez nearly scored the winner in the 85th from another volley but Lopez tipped it over as Bilbao improved to 43 points in fourth. Earlier Sunday, Cristian Herreras second-half goal gave Elche a 1-0 victory against Almeria to lift the club above its relegation adversary, while Ruben Castro scored two goals as last-placed Real Betis beat Espanyol 2-0 to end a four-game losing streak. Elche improved to 24 points, two more than Almeria which is 17th. Valladolid is 18th with 20, Rayo Vallecano has 17 and Betis 14. All games held a minutes silence in honour of Aragones, the former Spain coach who died on Saturday at age 75. cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '
