Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant sets franchise record for most games with at least 30 points | Briefs

NBA

Durant surpasses mark set by Sonics' Haywood: Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant scored 32 points — his franchise-record 36th game with at least 30 points this season — to help the host Thunder beat New Jersey 104-102 for its 16th victory in 19 games.

Durant was the league rookie of the year when he played for the Sonics in the 2007-08 season before the team moved to Oklahoma City. The previous record of 35 games was set by Spencer Haywood of the Sonics in the 1972-73 season.

Meanwhile, Thunder rookie guard James Harden will miss from two to four weeks because of a strained right hamstring.

Oklahoma City called up Kyle Weaver — an ex-Washington State player — from the Tulsa 66ers to replace Harden. Weaver started 19 games last season for the Thunder.

Roy leads Blazers past Kings: Brandon Roy, a former standout for the Washington Huskies and Garfield High School in Seattle, scored 28 points to lead the visiting Portland Trail Blazers to a 110-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Portland has won six of seven.

Cleveland's James returns:

LeBron James, who missed the previous two games because of an injured right ankle, had 23 points and 10 assists to help Cleveland win 100-95 over host Philadelphia. The league-leading Cavaliers are 51-15.

Heat's Wright is suspended for two games: Miami Heat forward Dorell Wright was suspended for two games by the team in the wake of his arrest on a charge of driving under the influence in South Beach.

Auto racing

Patrick heads record number of women in Sunday's IRL event: Women, start your engines.

American Danica Patrick will be among four women on the IndyCar Series grid for the season opener Sunday in Brazil, a record number to start an Indy Racing League event.

Patrick will race with Milka Duno of Venezuela and rookies Simona de Silvestro of Switzerland and Ana Beatriz Figueiredo of Brazil. American Sarah Fisher is set to run on a limited schedule this year, but she will not be in the opener.

Rosberg leads Formula One practice: Nico Rosberg was fastest in practice for the Formula One season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, with Mercedes teammate Michael Schumacher third.

Olympics

Sochi Olympic chief assails environmentalists: A Russian Cabinet official in charge of preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics says the country's environmentalists are harming preparations for the Sochi Games.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak was quoted as saying experts from a United Nations program had said Russian ecologists were trying to "derail" the Games instead of solving the region's environmental problems.

Horse racing

Preps for Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta: Female superstars Rachel Alexandra — the 2009 North American Horse of the Year — and unbeaten Zenyatta make their season debuts Saturday. They are scheduled to face each other for the first time April 9 in the $5 million Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Rachel Alexandra, a 4-year-old filly, will run in the New Orleans Ladies at Fair Grounds.

Zenyatta, a 6-year-old mare, competes in the Santa Margarita at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Boxing

Pacquiao, Clottey meet in Texas: Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2) of the Philippines fights Joshua Clottey (35-3), a native of Ghana who lives in New York, in a bout for 147-pounders Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. About 45,000 are expected to attend at the NFL venue.

Pacquiao reportedly will make at least $12 million for the fight.

Iditarod

King leads: Four-time winner Jeff King was the first to reach the Yukon River village of Ruby in the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska. For arriving there first, King was treated to a feast that included bison stew, grilled halibut in citrus sauce and blackberry jubilee and received $3,500.

Later, King was the first to leave the Galena checkpoint, 445 miles from the finish in Nome.

Scott White of Woodinville was in 47th place.

Seattle Times news services