Durant scores 45 to lift Thunder
January 31, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—Kevin Durant(notes) scored a season-high 45 points to take oversecond place in the NBA scoring race, Russell Westbrook(notes) added 28 points andeight assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors112-104 on Sunday night.
Golden State rallied back from 14 down in the fourth quarter to get withinthree in the final 2 minutes before Durant and Westbrook finally closed the doorwith five free throws down the stretch.
Durant made 16-of-21 shots and ended up two points shy of thehighest-scoring output of his career—and the Thunder ended up needing everybasket.
Golden State forward Corey Mag… AP – Jan 31, 8:34 pm EST Oklahoma City Thunder center N… AP – Jan 31, 8:33 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 1; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100201/capt.6f4a354f50674ba6a67e09b1f554a434.warriors_thunder_basketball_okso101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=325&hc=361&q=70&sig=iG0mVP9ZxUCAcUsuJ6UfUA--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 2 GS-OKC Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Corey Maggette(notes) scored 26 points for Golden State and Monta Ellis(notes) added 25,including a pair of 3-pointers that got the Warriors within three late. But hemissed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 1:06 left, and the Warriors didn’tscore again.
Durant surpassed 25 points for the 21st game in a row and continued ascoring surge that pushed him past LeBron James(notes) (29.4 ppg) into second in theleague in scoring. At 29.6 points per game, he trails only Denver’s CarmeloAnthony(notes) (29.7).
Oklahoma City beat the Warriors at their own fast-break game in the thirdquarter to seize control. The Thunder scored 16 of their first 31 points afterhalftime on the fast break, capitalizing on seven Golden State turnovers—including three by Ellis.
Thabo Sefolosha(notes) came away with three steals in a series of four possessions,with each one leading to a fast-break layup on the other end for the Thunder.His steal and outlet pass for Serge Ibaka’s(notes) layup completed a 10-0 spurt forOklahoma City that made it 85-70 with 2:28 left in the third quarter.
The Warriors, leading the NBA with 23.6 points per game on the fast break,didn’t score in transition during the quarter.
C.J. Watson(notes) got Golden State back within striking distance with a pair ofthree-point plays during an 8-0 spurt early in the fourth quarter as Ellisrested on the bench, and the Warriors closed to 99-94 on Andris Biedrins’(notes)two-handed dunk with 6:12 to play.
Durant had the Thunder’s next three baskets to get the lead back to nine,but Ellis drilled a pair of 3-pointers to close the gap to 107-104 with 1:33left. He missed a 3-pointer that could have tied it 27 seconds later after CobyKarl(notes)—playing his first game with Golden State on a 10-day contract—stole theball from Durant for the second straight time.
Ibaka swatted Maggette’s shot on the Warriors’ next possession and StephenCurry(notes) committed a turnover the last time Golden State had the ball.
NOTES: Karl, the son of Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, signed a 10-daycontract with the Warriors earlier in the day, but Thunder coach Scott Brooksalready had a scouting report on him. “I used to actually play him every gamewhen we played in Seattle when I was with Houston. He used to be the ball boyfor visiting teams and I would always go 1-on-1,” Brooks said. “He was onlylike 12 at the time. He gave me some pretty good games, so that tells you whatkind of player I was.” … Durant, who leads the NBA with 400 free throws, was11 for 11 from the foul line. … Former Thunder forward Desmond Mason(notes), waivedby Sacramento earlier this season, was in attendance.
