--The Thunder didn't notch their fourth win until New Year's Eve last season and fifth on Jan. 6. Midway through November, OKC is up to five. What a difference a year makes. "We don't even think about last year no more," Kevin Durant said. "This is a new year for us with some new guys and a new staff." The 3-29 start last season had many wondering if Philadelphia's all-time worst mark of 9-73 would be challenged.
"There are no words to describe how disappointing that start was last year," Nick Collison said. "We knew we weren't that bad a team, but we played bad.
"We've definitely made some strides. I think we're just starting to learn how to play. What I like is we have a lot of guys just concerned with winning and making winning plays."
--Sunday night was supposed to be the NBA homecoming of No. 1 pick Blake Griffin. The Oklahoma City native wasn't with the Clippers for their only trip to his hometown this season.
The Thunder front office expected such a box office boost from Griffin that the Clippers weren't included in any of the OKC's mini-season ticket packages. Griffin is sidelined until at least mid-December with a fractured kneecap.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It was a tough loss. I don't think we played as good as we wanted to. We let the little things get away from us, but we just got to bounce back." -- Guard James Harden on giving up a fourth-quarter lead Sunday against the Clippers.
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