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HOUSTON -- Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks showed his team each of the 12 3-pointers Houston made in its 73-point first half Thursday night. The halftime video session worked. The Rockets didnt make another 3, and were held to a franchise-low in points in the second half of the Thunders 104-92 win. Kevin Durant scored 36 points and Reggie Jackson added 23 to lift Oklahoma City to the victory. James Harden and Terrence Jones scored 16 points apiece for Houston, which had just 19 second-half points after its season-best performance in the first half -- setting an NBA record for the largest scoring differential between two halves. Houstons 19-point second half is tied for the second-fewest points in a second half in NBA history. "Ive never seen anything like that," Brooks said. "Thats inspiring." Houston coach Kevin McHale was troubled by his teams inability to build on its great first half. "We had a terrible time shooting the ball, laying it in, making simple plays," McHale said. "We couldnt sustain anything offensively in the second half. Give them credit. They got out and got after us." The Thunder used a big third quarter to erase a 12-point deficit and tie the score entering the fourth. The teams stayed within a basket after that until Jackson scored five points in a 7-0 run which gave the Thunder a 97-89 lead with about 4 minutes left. Oklahoma City stretched its advantage to 103-92 on a fast-break dunk by Jackson with 1:18 to go. Durant shook his head when asked about the vast difference in Oklahoma Citys defence after halftime. Along with shutting down Houstons 3-point shooting, the Thunder also held Harden scoreless after the break. "We were able to come down and stifle them a little bit and get them out of their rhythm," Durant said. "Theyre a great offensive team. They score the ball so quickly. I think we did a great job of just putting pressure on them." Oklahoma City was up by eight when Houstons Dwight Howard and Kendrick Perkins got tangled up fighting for a rebound. The two had to be separated and Perkins received a personal foul and they both were slapped with technicals for the scuffle. Serge Ibaka added 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Thunder. Howard had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Rockets. Jeremy Lambs 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter made it 86-85, giving Oklahoma City its first lead since early in the second quarter. The teams each scored a basket after that before both offences went silent, with neither team scoring for about a 3-minute span. Jackson ended Oklahoma Citys scoring drought with a reverse layup with about 7 minutes remaining before Chandler Parsons ended Houstons with a bucket about a minute later to cut the Thunders lead to 90-89. The Rockets had a 12-point lead with about 4 minutes left in the third quarter before Oklahoma City went on a 15-3 run to tie it at 83 entering the final period. Ibaka scored four quick points to get the spurt going and also had a 3-pointer in that span. Durant had the big finish for the run, taking Parsons off the dribble and pulling up to sink a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Durant fell backward to the court after the shot and flipped over before getting up wearing a huge grin as he was mobbed by teammates. After matching a season high with 41 points in the second quarter, the Rockets had a terrible third, scoring just 10 points, and their nine points in the fourth were a season low. The Thunder led by seven in the second quarter before Houston got going. The Rockets used a 9-0 run, powered by four points from Jones, to take a 43-41 lead with about 8 minutes left in the quarter. Harden had a nifty play near the end of that run when he hit an off-balance layup before crashing to the court. Houston capped the 41-point quarter with a 13-1 spurt to take a 73-59 lead into halftime. Parsons hit two 3s in that run and Donatas Motiejunas added a third. Durant was having a tough first quarter and had three turnovers before getting going in the last 1 1/2 minutes of the period. He scored all nine of the Thunders last points of the quarter to leave Oklahoma City up 36-32 entering the second. He had two dunks and was fouled on a 3-pointer and made all three free throws in that span. NOTES: Houstons 73 points in the first half were a season high for a half. ... McHale received a technical foul for arguing with the officials in the second quarter. . 25 against Miami. Hillis left Browns Stadium about two hours before kickoff, a decision that has led to speculation he was upset over ongoing negotiations with the club on a contract extension. ., will experience this week. A year in which the Canadian curling championship has been pushed forward a week to accommodate the Winter Olympics was deemed the perfect chance to stage the event in Montreal for the first time since 1979. . - Maxence Parrot of Bromont, Que. . Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse will reunite at this weekends season-opening World Cup at Canada Olympic Park as they begin their buildup to the Winter Games in Sochi. .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams.PHILADELPHIA - The Montreal Impact werent able to get their hands on the top pick at the MLS SuperDraft but they left happy Thursday after taking charismatic Jamaican Romario Williams third overall.The 20-year-old University of Central Florida forward, after taking the stage at the Philadelphia Convention Center, thanked God as well as family, friends, and coaches for supporting him.And to the Montreal Impact fans, Im here, he said. And Im willing to work hard. Thanks to Montreal and all the guys in the front office for believing in me. Im excited to get to work.Bonjour Montreal, he added.In terms of first impressions, it was a draft-day slam dunk for the former Jamaican under-17 team member.The five-foot-11 182-pounder scored 17 goals in 34 games in his final two seasons at Central Florida. He had 18 goals and five assists in 51 career games over three seasons, recording seven game-winning goals and converting all six of his penalty kick attempts.Frank Klopas, Montreals head coach and director of player personnel, acknowledged he tried to trade up.You make an offer, it doesnt work out, he said. I feel comfortable with either of the three players (picked in the draft) but Im very comfortable we have Romario.Williams was one of five undeerclassmen in the draft, meaning his Generation Adidas contract will not count against the Impact salary cap.dddddddddddd He joins Jack McInerney on a new-look Montreal strike force in the wake of Marco Di Vaios retirement.An ecstatic Williams talked up Montreal, calling it a great, diverse city. He has five years of high-school French so he has a headstart.Im pretty good at it. Im not the best right now because Ive lost a little bit over the years, he said of his French.He said he felt good about the chance of joining Montreal as soon as he stepped into the room to interview with the Impact. Williams describes himself as a physical player with pace, the ability to create a shot and use both feet.He was named after former Brazilian star striker Romario. I love the name, he said. He does have personality but hes a humble kid, said Klopas. Look its an opportunity for him but we all have to be realistic, I think. Hes got all the physical attributes.He knows nothing comes easy and the beginning is really now, Klopas added. You havent really accomplished anything. This is the starting point. He knows that.The Impact did not have a second-round pick. Rounds 3 and 4 go Jan. 20 via telephone.———Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter. ' ' '
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