NBA schedule: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook carry Thunder past Clippers

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With such gifts, he’s extremely effective as the KO punch on an alley-oop finish, as you can imagine. Sometimes it’s an obvious designed pick and roll to get him there, but sometimes he recognizes the space the defense is giving up and he just drifts towards the hoop without defenders noticing and BOOM he’s dunking the ball behind his head in a reverse jam.

Gasol can do it, though. He shrugs off a double-team from one side of the court, flings a sidewinder throw with the right hand around multiple defenders and hits his open teammate all the way across the floor.

This was actually a comeback effort for Washington, which trailed by double-digits after the first quarter before rallying to take the lead in the second half. The Wizards outscored the Bobcats over the final 24 minutes of regulation, 46-33, but failed to make a single field goal in the five-minute overtime period as things fell apart again.

The Bobcats stepped up early and finished things late, taking advantage of a Wizards team that lacked urgency early on. Charlotte has now won five in a row -- mostly thanks to an easy schedule -- and while the two teams have identical 40-38 records, the Bobcats own the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series.

This guy and Joakim Noah better go out partying together tonight. How can either of them pass it up, in such proximity?

This photo has so much going for it, catapulted into GREAT SPORTS PHOTO HISTORY by the clear Noah likeness. The young man’s eyes are so open, almost in a deranged fixation on something on the floor (probably Joakim Noah). Perhaps the only thing that would make this better would be if you could see the real Joakim in the foreground.

Bad things did happen, but not to him.

Referee Bennie Adams, seemingly out of harm’s way behind Withey, found himself in an uncomfortable meeting with the basketball as Withey’s errant desperation pass was deflected by a Phoenix defender.

With feet like that, he has to be a great dancer. This really isn’t fair. The 76ers players don’t deserve this. Their families are probably watching!

Aw, who am I kidding? Their family probably isn’t even watching this late in the season.

There are 12 games on the NBA slate Wednesday, with two superb nationally televised contests to enjoy. Let’s take a look at the schedule.

Two Western Conference heavyweights get together in a game that will have an effect on the No. 2 seed in the West. The Thunder are currently 1½ games ahead of the Clippers in the standings, and a victory would essentially sew up that No. 2 seed for Oklahoma City.