Kevin Durant helps Oklahoma City Thunder defeat Golden State Warriors 115–114 in O.T.
Kevin Durant scored eight points in overtime to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 115–114 O.T. win against the Golden State Warriors in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. Durant scored 39 points, and eight of his team’s
nine points in the extra period to keep the Warriors at bay. Russell Westbrook added 15 points, eight rebounds and nine assists to chip in for the Thunder.
Warriors coach Keith Smart said, "We did everything we could to guard two hot players - two very, very good players in Westbrook and Durant, of course. I thought our guys did a great job and almost, almost had a chance to pull this thing off."
Oklahoma out-rebounded the Warriors with a 52–42 advantage, but turned the ball over 19 times to allow their opposition to keep the game close. It saw 18 lead changes and 11 ties.
The first quarter saw both teams play well and trade baskets periodically. The score-line was close at the end of it, with the Warriors up 29 – 25. The second quarter followed the same pattern, as the game remained close throughout. However, the Thunder
fired-off an 8–0 spurt to take a ten-point lead with two minutes to go in the first half.
The Thunder kept extending the lead, but Golden State would come straight back. Oklahoma led 69-55 in the ninth minute of the third before the Warriors ran-off with a 16-2 run to even things out a little.
Warriors coach Keith Smart’s ‘a box and one’ defensive scheme was apparently successful, as OKC was held without a field goal for more than six minutes during that stretch. Durant hit a three-pointer to punctuate the end of the third period as the buzzer
sounded.
Oklahoma led 100–90 with less than four minutes to go in the last quarter, when the Warriors went on a 16-6 run punctuated by Reggie Williams’ jumper from downtown. Ellis’ steal and subsequent three pointer then tied the game and sent it into overtime.
Oklahoma Coach Scott Brooks said, "It is not the way we wanted to execute down the stretch, but we did get the win and I give our guys credit for staying together and hanging in there."
Durant was huge in overtime, but Russell Westbrook’s free throw with 11.4 seconds left finally sealed the win for the Thunder. Westbrook was fouled by Stephen Curry on a drive to the basket, and the Thunder guard sunk one of the two free-throws to put his
team up by one point.
Durant praised Westbrook after the game. He said, "Russell's a big-time scorer and we wanted to get him something driving to the basket, which is his strength. We knew they were going to call a foul if he drives so hard and tried to score.”
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 35 points; Monta Ellis had 20 points and 11 assists, while David Lee contributed 24 points and pulled in 15 rebounds.
Monta Ellis misfired and over-shot a jumper at the buzzer which could have won it for the Warriors. Serge Ibaka scored 19 for the Thunder as Kendrick Perkins went scoreless but added 13 vital rebounds.
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