Celtics ready to go to battle in Game 3

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Thunder ended the Spurs' winning streak at 20 games -- the longest streak any team has been able to maintain into the playoffs in NBA history -- with a 102-82 victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals last night.

San Antonio had won its first 10 playoff games, including sweeps of the Jazz and Clippers, and had not lost since falling to the Lakers, 98-84, on April 11. Before last night, the Spurs had won 31 of their last 33 and 34 of their last 37.

The Spurs were trying to match the league mark for most wins to start the postseason. The Lakers won 11 straight to start the 1989 and 2001 playoffs.

Oklahoma City, which led by 27 in the fourth quarter, closed its series deficit to 2-1 and will host Game 4 tomorrow night. "We never thought these guys had an advantage over us even though we had lost a few," Kevin Durant said. "It was just good that we took it to 2-1. We didn't want to go down 0-3."

"They played like it was a closeout game, both offensively and defensively," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They were very active, physical, they moved the ball well on offense. They did all those things better than we did. They beat us good."

Durant had 22 points and five assists and Thabo Sefolosha added 19 points and six steals for the Thunder. Tony Parker and Stephen Jackson had 16 points each for San Antonio. Parker and Tim Duncan, who had 11 points and shot 5-for-15, didn't play in the final 15 minutes.-- AP