Russell Westbrook

Leaning against the scorer's table inside the Palestra after a recent free scrimmage for fans, the 76ers' Jrue Holiday is fielding questions in the even-keeled demeanor he channels so naturally. The 21-year-old point guard is explaining the balance he must achieve for the Sixers to be successful. He plays the thinking man's position on the floor, and the chin- rubbing, furrowed brow, and gaze upward toward the venerable old building's ceiling indicate as much. "Every team that Jason Kidd has been to, I feel like they've been pretty good," Holiday says.

76ers swingman Andre Iguodala is among 15 players who were selected as finalists for the 2010 USA World Championship Team. The survivors of the team's recent workouts in Las Vegas were announced Wednesday. Chester native and NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans did not make the cut. The team will re-assemble Aug. 9 in New York City, where it will train from there Aug. 10-16. The official 12-man USA roster will determined after the camp is complete, though USA Basketball chairman jerry Colangelo said a few more players may make the trip overseas for the games.

Kevin Durant scored 38 points and Russell Westbrook added 29 points and 10 rebounds as the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder erased a 14-point deficit to beat the Orlando Magic, 105-102, on Thursday night. The Magic had a chance to tie it in the final seconds, but Jason Richardson's long three-pointer bounced off the backboard at the buzzer. The Thunder's win was their seventh straight, matching a streak from earlier in the season. Dwight Howard scored 33 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead all five Magic starters in double figures, but the Magic struggled to shoot from the field down the stretch.

Before Dwyane Wade even sat down for a post-practice news conference yesterday in Miami, he offered a pre-emptive strike. "I'm not hurt," he said. And that was news Miami Heat fans wanted to hear on the eve of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. Wade, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller and James Jones were all back in practice yesterday, a day after being held out of contact drills for precautionary reasons. Everyone fully participated in the workout, which coach Erik Spoelstra said he had to cut a bit short because of how physical things were getting.

TODAY (all events on TNT) 9 p.m.: Rookies vs. Sophomores Challenge Rookies roster: DeJuan Blair, San Antonio; Omri Casspi, Sacramento; Stephen Curry, Golden State; Tyreke Evans, Sacramento; Jonny Flynn, Minnesota; Taj Gibson, Chicago; James Harden, Oklahoma City; Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee; Jonas Jerebko, Detroit. Sophomores roster: Michael Beasley, Miami; Danilo Gallinari, New York; Marc Gasol, Memphis; Eric Gordon, LA Clippers; Brook Lopez, New Jersey; Kevin Love, Minnesota; O.J. Mayo, Memphis; Derrick Rose, Chicago; Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma City Thunder's first win didn't come without a little last-second trepidation. Kevin Durant scored 18 points and first-round pick Russell Westbrook sparked a comeback as the Thunder beat Minnesota last night, 88-85. It was Oklahoma City's first victory in its new home. But officials had to huddle after the final buzzer to see if there was a foul before the clock hit zero. Cheerleaders rushed onto the floor, and the crowd gave one final cheer after the game was ruled over.

Kevin Durant scored 22 points, reserve Kevin Love added 10 points and 11 rebounds, and the United States beat Slovenia, 99-77, on Sunday at the world basketball tournament in Istanbul, Turkey. Rudy Gay finished with 16 points for the Americans (2-0), while Russell Westbrook and Andre Iguodala each had 11. In other games: Leandro Barbosa scored 21 points and Brazil thumped Tunisia, 80-65. Tiago Splitter added 16 for the Brazilians (2-0), who will face the United States on Monday.

The Los Angeles Lakers are doing their best to forget all those awful memories of playing in the Boston Garden. Kobe Bryant sank the go-ahead basket with 7.3 seconds left, and the Lakers won 90-89 yesterday for their third consecutive victory over the struggling Celtics. Boston has not been able to make good on the "Beat L.A.!" chant since winning 131-92 to clinch the 2008 championship here in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. "I didn't say give me one more chance. I said give me the damn ball," Bryant said.

  -- I THOUGHT IN (yesterday's) game (against Greece in Athens) we played really well. We got off to a good start, and our defense was really clicking. I think we held them to just one field goal in the first 6 minutes, or something like that. This was our best defensive game by far. We have really come together as a team since we first got together in Las Vegas and have gotten a lot better, especially defensively. I think the reason is because we are getting more acclimated with each other.

As quick as lightning, the Oklahoma City Thunder returned the 76ers to reality. The Thunder dismissed the Sixers, 111-93, last night at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers entered the game with back-to-back victories, both over playoff-bound teams. This glimmer of improved play was dashed as emphatically as Kevin Durant's baseline jam in the third quarter: In the final minutes of the game, Oklahoma City's lead reached 25 points. The Thunder, led by Durant's 26 points and 10 rebounds, improved to 45-28.

Kevin Durant scored 38 points and Russell Westbrook added 29 points and 10 rebounds as the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder erased a 14-point deficit to beat the Orlando Magic, 105-102, on Thursday night. The Magic had a chance to tie it in the final seconds, but Jason Richardson's long three-pointer bounced off the backboard at the buzzer. The Thunder's win was their seventh straight, matching a streak from earlier in the season. Dwight Howard scored 33 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead all five Magic starters in double figures, but the Magic struggled to shoot from the field down the stretch.

One of the biggest concerns for the 76ers during the lockout was that the work stoppage prevented them from having direct contact with point guard Jrue Holiday during the offseason. The Sixers were thrilled with the growth that their precocious point guard demonstrated in his second season and during the team's first-round playoff series with the Miami Heat. Much of that success was attributable to the mentoring of assistant coach Aaron McKie, whom the Sixers wanted to be in constant contact with Holiday in the offseason.

THE OKLAHOMA City Thunder signed All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook to a multiyear contract extension yesterday. Westbrook was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season, meaning the Thunder would have had to match any offer he received from another team. Instead, they locked him up with a new deal 15 games into this season. Oklahoma City has the best record in the Western Conference, with Westbrook averaging 20.5 points, 5.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds.

Leaning against the scorer's table inside the Palestra after a recent free scrimmage for fans, the 76ers' Jrue Holiday is fielding questions in the even-keeled demeanor he channels so naturally. The 21-year-old point guard is explaining the balance he must achieve for the Sixers to be successful. He plays the thinking man's position on the floor, and the chin- rubbing, furrowed brow, and gaze upward toward the venerable old building's ceiling indicate as much. "Every team that Jason Kidd has been to, I feel like they've been pretty good," Holiday says.

Before Dwyane Wade even sat down for a post-practice news conference yesterday in Miami, he offered a pre-emptive strike. "I'm not hurt," he said. And that was news Miami Heat fans wanted to hear on the eve of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. Wade, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller and James Jones were all back in practice yesterday, a day after being held out of contact drills for precautionary reasons. Everyone fully participated in the workout, which coach Erik Spoelstra said he had to cut a bit short because of how physical things were getting.

Kevin Durant scored 24 points and James Harden added 23, leading the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder to a 106-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks last night, knotting the Western Conference finals at one game each. Durant was as tough to guard as ever, but the real difference was Harden and the bench coming up big, especially down the stretch. The bearded, lefthanded guard had a four-point play in the final seconds of the third quarter that put Oklahoma City up by one. Then he and fellow reserves Eric Maynor, Nick Collison and Daequan Cook teamed with Durant to outplay Dallas' crew of closers in the final period.

For just the second time since 1998, neither the Lakers nor the Spurs will represent the West in the NBA Finals. Instead, it either will be Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and the aging-but-rested Dallas Mavericks, or Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the rapidly maturing Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavericks are a collection of 30-somethings bonded by a collective pursuit of their first championship. They have plenty of guys who have come close to a title, including a few holdovers from the 2006 team that interrupted the collection of conference titles piled up by the Spurs and Lakers.

DALLAS - For just the second time since 1998, neither the Lakers nor the Spurs will represent the West in the NBA Finals. Instead, it'll either be Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, and the aging-but-rested Dallas Mavericks or Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and the rapidly maturing Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavericks are a collection of 30-somethings bonded by a collective pursuit of their first championship. They have plenty of guys who've come close to a title, including a few holdovers from the 2006 team that interrupted the collection of conference titles piled up by the Spurs and Lakers.

Coming off his worst performance in the playoffs, Kevin Durant couldn't get his shots to fall again. Then he caught a glimpse of his mother dancing around during a timeout and, like magic, the ball started going through the net. Durant scored 39 points for his best offensive outing of the series, Russell Westbrook had his first playoff triple-double and the Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the Western Conference finals with a 105-90 victory over...

CHICAGO - Derrick Rose scored 28 points, Luol Deng contained LeBron James, and the Chicago Bulls struck first in the Eastern Conference finals, pulling away to beat the Miami Heat, 103-82, in Game 1 on Sunday night. The Bulls are off to a good start in this series after sweeping the Heat during the regular season. They went on a 10-0 run midway through the third quarter, then pulled away in the fourth. As the final minutes ticked away, fans could not contain themselves, chanting "Over-rated!"