--F Kevin Durant didn't know Wizards owner Abe Pollin personally, but as a Washington, D.C., native, the Thunder star was well aware of his impact. Pollin passed away Tuesday at the age of 85. "He meant a lot," Durant said. "He basically made the Wizards. If you go downtown, he has his own avenue there right in front of the arena. And so he was Wizards basketball, and you can kind of say he was like the founder of basketball in Washington, D.C. Durant added: "It's a devastating loss."
--G Russell Westbrook would be hard pressed to find better role models than Utah's Deron Williams. The two squared off Tuesday.
"(Williams) understands what the team needs, and Russell is learning how to do those things," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "In games when you need scoring, you got to get them scoring. When you need playmaking, he can be a playmaker. Deron is one of the best at doing that."
Westbrook outscored Williams 10-7, but Williams had the assist edge 9-3.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We did a good job of passing the ball, sharing the ball, believing in each other and having some trust." -- Coach Scott Brooks on winning Tuesday at Utah.
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