COOK RETURNS

Thunder guard Daequan Cook, who missed the previous 1 1/2 games with flu-like symptoms, also was suffering severe headaches. In an attempt to cut down on the glare from the arena lights, Cook wore goggles against the Trail Blazers.

After getting burned for three straight baskets by Wesley Matthews, Cook discarded the goggles for 54 seconds of action early in the second period before putting them back on after a timeout.

Cook played 24 minutes and had three rebounds, but was 1 for 5 shooting form the field.

“It was just tough for us on offense,” Cook said. “Sometimes when the offense isn’t going well, it can affect you on defense as well.”

Portland’s game plan against the Thunder on Tuesday night wasn’t solely to try and contain Kevin Durant.

The Trail Blazers wanted to make the two-time scoring champ and his teammates work hard at the defensive end.

Both missions were accomplished as Portland posted a convincing 10393 victory over the Thunder before a sellout crowd of 18,203 inside Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Seemingly banged with every step he took while on offense, Durant never got into any kind of rhythm and shot 8 for 26 from the field.

He went 1 for 7 from 3point range and got to the free-throw line just four times, where he shockingly missed half his attempts.

Durant’s 19 points came on 26 shots in 42 minutes. In the second half, OKC scored just 40 points, shot 34.2 percent from the field and 18.2 percent from 3point range.

The Trail Blazers’ defensive approach on Durant was hardly unique, but their execution and effort were both superb.

"I thought we played with an attitude tonight," Portland coach Nate Mcmillan said. "We had some matchups we wanted to try and go out I thought we executed that well."

Gerald Wallace was assigned to defend Durant, with relief coming off the bench from Nicolas Batum. In addition, at least one or two teammates helped out whenever Durant tried to create.

"My thing was just to try to stay into him, make him take tough shots, take contested shots, keep a body on him," Wallace said. "You don’t want him running free the whole time."

Wallace still had enough energy at the other end to register a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Batum, who frequently excels against the Thunder, had 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots in 24 minutes.

Portland players stressed going one-onone is no way to defend the Thunder.

"You can’t guard these guys by yourself," Batum said. "That’s a good team. That’s a very good team."

Even Blazers not assigned to Durant were very much aware of him while playing defense.

"I thought we did great team defense on him," LaMarcus Aldridge said. "All the shots he made were tough jump shots. Every time he went to the basket he had two or three guys in from of him, which is what you have to do with him. He’s a very, very good scorer. You can’t let one guy try to guard him."

Aldridge displayed his inside-outside prowess and led Portland with 30 points. Guards Wesley Matthews and Raymond Felton combined for 28 points, 10, rebounds, nine assists and four steals (all from Matthews).

Mcmillan said his team wanted to take advantage of the fact the Thunder was on the second night of a back-to-back and coming off its first loss of the young season on Monday at Dallas.

Much like the Thunder did when it was 5-0 after the first seven days of the season, the Trail Blazers shrugged off being 4-1 heading into Thursday night’s home game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"It’s 4-1. It’s early," Mcmillan said. "It’s like Nov. 10 (in an 82-game season)."