What was a six-point Nuggets lead to start the second quarter turned into a tied game at 45. And that required Ty Lawson to make three free throws in the final seconds to even the score. Lawson made two free throws after James Harden fouled him, but then Kendrick Perkins shouldered his way into Chris Andersen to draw a technical foul, sending Lawson to the line again.
Lawson picked things up in the second quarter to finish the half with 14 points, while Kenyon Martin contributed 11 points and six rebounds. But he had just two points and one rebound in the second quarter. Adding just 19 points in the second quarter, the Nuggets will need to regroup in the second half.
The Thunder regained their dominance around the boards, taking a 26-22 lead. Serge Ibaka leads the way with seven, while the bench added 10. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have yet to find the scoring touch they had in the previous games, combining for just 19 points.
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