NBA Wrap: Durant scores 52 in Thunder win

Share

DALLAS -- Kevin Durant scored a career-high 52 points, including the go-ahead basket with 16.5 seconds left in overtime, and the Oklahoma City Thunder held off a Dallas Mavericks rally for a 117-114 victory Friday night.
The Thunder, who won their sixth straight, snapped a season-high four-game winning streak for the Mavericks.
Dallas guard O.J. Mayo forced overtime by hitting a 3-pointer with two defenders in his face with 2.3 seconds left in regulation.
Mike James had put Dallas ahead with a 3 pointer in overtime, but his shot from well behind the arc in the final seconds of the extra period fell short.
Russell Westbrook, who scored 31, missed a free throw to give the Mavericks one more chance to tie, but Vince Carter's desperation 3 at the buzzer was short.
Carter led Dallas with a season-high 29 points (see full story).
Bulls beat C's on buzzer-beaterBOSTON -- Marco Belinelli made a game-winning jumper with 3.1 seconds left, Jimmy Butler scored six points in overtime and the Chicago Bulls extended their Friday night road show by beating the Boston Celtics, 100-99.

Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 20 rebounds, and Joakim Noah added 14 points and 13 boards as the Bulls won their 14th straight road game on a Friday. They haven't lost since April 2011.

Rajon Rondo scored a season-high 30 points for Boston before fouling out with 1:16 to play in overtime.

Kevin Garnett had 16 points and Paul Pierce passed former Celtics star Robert Parish for 22nd on the NBA's career scoring list by chipping in 13 points. Pierce has 23,342 points and Parish 23,334 (see full story).

Nets bounce back with victory
NEW YORK -- Deron Williams scored 24 points, making four free throws in the final 43.4 seconds, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Atlanta Hawks, 94-89, on Friday night to earn a split of a home-and-home series.

Brook Lopez added 20 points for the Nets, who bounced back from a 109-95 loss in Atlanta on Wednesday that snapped their seven-game winning streak. Former Hawks guard Joe Johnson finished with 18 points and Reggie Evans grabbed 20 rebounds as the Nets beat the Hawks for the first time in seven meetings.

Jeff Teague had 21 points and 10 assists for the Hawks, who played without starting center Al Horford and lost key reserve Lou Williams to a serious-looking right knee injury. Former Nets guard Devin Harris scored 17 and Josh Smith had 12 points and nine rebounds in his return from a one-game suspension, but shot just 5 of 15.

The Hawks were only 5 of 22 from the field in the fourth quarter and lost for the seventh time in nine games (see full story).

Walker leads Bobcats over Magic
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Kemba Walker had 25 points and eight rebounds, and Gerald Henderson added 17 points as the Charlotte Bobcats snapped a five-game losing streak with a 106-100 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday night.

The Bobcats evened the season series with the Magic and now return home for four consecutive games, beginning with Sacramento on Saturday.

Charlotte started fast and shot the ball well throughout, with its field goal percentage hovering above 50 percent for most of the night. The Bobcats also shot 17 more free throws than Orlando, including some crucial ones in the final minute to secure the victory.

Arron Afflalo led Orlando with 23 points, followed by Jameer Nelson with 22.

Orlando has lost its last six games against teams with records below .500 (see full story).

Pacers win 11th straight home game
INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul George couldn't wait to play Friday night and it showed.

His early scoring flurry gave Indiana control early, and his teammates took the cue.

George scored 31 points and David West had 20 points and 11 rebounds, leading Central Division-leading Indiana past Houston, 105-95.

The Pacers (25-16) have won 11 straight home games -- their longest streak since winning 14 in a row in 2002-03 -- have tied New York for the second-most wins in the Eastern Conference (see full story).

Grizzlies snap skid
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Mike Conley scored 19 points, Marc Gasol added 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Memphis Grizzlies snapped a three-game losing streak with an 85-69 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.

All five Memphis starters were in double figures. Tony Allen had 14 points and nine rebounds, plus six assists. Rudy Gay scored 15 points and Marreese Speights finished with 10 points in nine rebounds.

DeMarcus Cousins was the only Sacramento player in double figures with 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Kings, limited to 34 percent shooting, had their two-game winning streak end. Isaiah Thomas had nine points and five assists as the Kings recorded a season-low nine assists in the game.

Memphis played the game without forward Zach Randolph, who sat out with a back strain suffered in the Grizzlies last game at San Antonio (see full story).

2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

Contact Us