OKLAHOMA CITY -- The drama was sapped early from Oklahoma Citys blowout win over Utah, except for one detail. Thunder forward Kevin Durant is nearing Michael Jordans mark for consecutive games with at least 25 points. With the crowd buzzing late in the third quarter, Durant reached the mark for the 38th consecutive time, leaving him two games short of Jordans accomplishment, which is the most in the past 50 years. He finished with 31 points and nine assists to help Oklahoma City defeat the Jazz 116-96 on Sunday afternoon. Jordan did it for 40 straight games for the Chicago Bulls during the 1986-87 season. Durant is aware of the mark, but the NBAs leading scorer left worrying about it to the crowd at Chesapeake Energy Arena. "Im just going out there, playing my game," he said. "If it happens, cool. If it doesnt, cool. Thats how I approach it -- just playing within the offence. If a shots there, shoot it. If a pass is there, pass it. I try to play as simple as I can. If that (25 points or more) comes with it, then so be it, but if not, Im not going to lose any sleep." Durant was fouled on a 3-pointer with 4:02 left in the third quarter and was awarded three free throws. He scored his 24th point on the first one, and the crowd got into it before the second one. After he made it, the fans let out a loud cheer. He also made the third to give the Thunder an 84-56 lead. Durant extended the streak without playing in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive game. Russell Westbrook scored 19 points, Serge Ibaka had 17 points and Caron Butler added 15 for the Thunder, who have won six of seven. Oklahoma City shot 55 per cent from the field and made 11 of 18 3-pointers and 23 of 26 free throws. Enes Kanter had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Richard Jefferson scored 17 points and Gordon Hayward added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Jazz, who have lost four in a row. Utah trailed 11-0 before Jefferson finally scored with 7:34 left in the first quarter. Oklahoma City led 26-9 at the end of the quarter. It matched the fewest points the Thunder have allowed in any quarter this season and was the lowest for the Jazz in a first quarter this season. Utah missed the NBA low for an opening quarter this season by making a basket with 19.5 seconds left. "They were aggressive on the defensive end and we settled for a lot of jump shots," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We missed jump shots and they were able to run the ball out on us. In that first quarter, I thought we were hungry for it, but thats what good teams do. They come out and try to bury you right from the beginning. They had a lot of success doing it in the first quarter." Haywards first basket came with 3:21 left in the first half. Even with his 3-point play, the Jazz still trailed 49-30. Oklahoma City led 59-40 at halftime, and it might have been a larger lead if Jefferson hadnt dropped in 15 points in the first half, well above his season average of 10.2 points per game. Durant scored 18 points in the first half on 6-for-8 shooting and helped the Thunder shoot 57 per cent before the break. Utah cut Oklahoma Citys lead to 89-77 late in the quarter before Durant hit a 3-pointer over Hayward with two seconds remaining to push the lead back up to 15 points. "That was tough," Utah forward Marvin Williams said. "That was a big three. It almost took the wind out of your sails, to fight so hard to get back to that position, to cut it to 12, thinking youre going to start the fourth at 12 (down), and he makes an amazing shot like that over a defender. It was a big shot. It kind of took the wind out of our sails, almost, a little bit, because we had fought so hard." Hayward scored 13 points in the period, and the Jazz scored 37 points on 60 per cent shooting. Utah scored 21 points in the final 3:44 of the third. The Thunder held on, and now, Oklahoma City can look ahead to Thursdays showdown with West leader San Antonio. The Spurs have won 17 in a row and are three games ahead of the Thunder for the best record in the West with nine games to go. "Just continue to play our brand of basketball," Butler said. "Play with a lot of energy and effort and do a good job defensively and stay on the same accord, and we will be fine." NOTES: Thunder G Reggie Jackson missed his second straight game with a mid-back sprain. ... Jazz G Alec Burks returned to action after missing the previous four games with a left ankle sprain. ... Utah missed its first seven shots. ... Oklahoma City won three of four against the Jazz this season. ... Utah, which has the worst record in the Western Conference, won the previous meeting 112-101. Toronto Blue Jays Gear . -- The Sacramento Kings have claimed forward Travis Outlaw off waivers under the NBAs new amnesty provision, filling out the frontcourt with another veteran. Blue Jays Jerseys 2020 .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/. That time around, the cage is as much a part of baseballs daily routine as a beer and a hotdog is to a fan in the stands. Coaches, scouts, broadcasters and other media hover, tossing verbal barbs, telling stories and sharing laughs. Occasionally, especially in spring when the atmosphere is relatively laid back, the list of invited guests expands and on this day, Gibbons welcomed two men strongly influential in his life. Stitched Blue Jays Jerseys . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Toronto Blue Jays Store .Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have been neck and neck all season, with 17 points separating the rivals and double points on offer for the race.Tensions between them have spilled over during the campaign and the pairs fragile relationship was evident during Thursdays pre-race news conference, when Rosberg goaded Hamilton by advising him to race cleanly.Guillem Balague says the decision for Neymar to play for Brazil in the Olympics rather than Copa America gives him a much-needed rest. Barcelona announced on Wednesday night that the Brazil captain will play at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics for his country but will skip the Copa America, despite previously stating he wanted to play in both.The Brazilian FA had asked for his release, but Barcelona did not want to lose the striker for so long and feared that his participation in both events could affect his preparations for next season. Barcelona announced on Wednesday that Neymar will play at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics The confederation and the club had been in talks for several months before finally reaching a deal, and Sky Sports Spanish football expert Balague believes the move is good PR for the Brazilian forward at present.The reaction in Barcelona is that most people believed Neymar was not going to rest enough. Weve seen Neymar take some trips to Brazil, not just to do with football, and theres a lot of negative publicity in the direction of Neymar, so this is a good PR for himself in the eyes of the fans. The Olympics will be played from August 3-21, while the Copa America runs from June 3-26 I think most fans understand he needs to rest, as rest is as important for an athlete than preparation.In contrast, in Brazil there are more and more voices saying he is not a mature leader and is not pulling all of his weight when it comes to the national side. Its not a Brazilian decision, Brazil want him playing everything, its more the decision of Barcelona. Neymar of course wanted to play everything, but Barcelona made him realise he had to make a choice. Pep Guardiola and Barcelona won the right to restrict Lionel Messi from going to the Olympics in 2008, but let him go anyway It is a different kind of summer with Olympics and Copa America - I think Barcelona have used the timing cleverly, its a good moment to confirm publicly what they have been defending for months.Clubs are not obliged by FIFA to release players for the Olympics, but had to do so for the Copa America Centenario in the United States, but a deal has been struck to ensure Neymar is exempt.Neymar has come under criticism from fans and the media of latee as Barcelona slumped to just one point from a possible 12 and were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid.dddddddddddd Neymar to miss Copa America Neymar will play for Brazil at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics but will skip the Copa America They reacted with an 8-0 win at Deportivo on Wednesday, leaving them level on points with Atletico at the top of the table but with a better head-to-head record.Balague believes the 24-year-old will need the summer to recover from another busy season, and also says this is not the first time the club has been successful over the country in such a discussion.Clubs have always had the power to stop players playing, Balague added. I remember when Pep Guardiola arrived at Barcelona, Lionel Messi wanted to play the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and Barca managed to convince the authorities that he wouldnt play. A look at some of Neymars best moments in a Barcelona shirt this season. Then after that it became the choice of Pep, who said to Messi and [then-president] Joan Laporta that he should go to China, because it was the best thing that could happen to him.Messi was saying he wanted an Olympic medal, because it is something unique. He let him go that way, Argentina won the gold, but Barcelona had initially won the right not to let him go, so its not the first time thing has happened.The Olympics will be played from August 3-21, while the Copa America runs from June 3-26 Also See: Neymar to miss Copa Barca hit eight past Deportivo Neymar will not be sold More Guillem Balague ' ' '