Kevin Durant scored 28 points and Russell Westbrook added 26 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 97-88 victory over the host Boston Celtics on Monday.
Thabo Sefolosha scored 12 of his 19 points in the final quarter as Oklahoma City won its seventh straight contest and improved its NBA-best record to 12-2.
Paul Pierce matched his season-high with 24 points for Boston, which lost its fifth consecutive game and dropped to 4-8.
Oklahoma City led 74-64 after a layup by Sefolosha with 9:49 to play before Boston whittled away and pulled within 78-76 on Pierce’s 3-pointer with 5:22 remaining.
Durant, Sefolosha and Westbrook each hit 3-pointers over the next four minutes as the Thunder took an 89-82 lead with 1:31 left.
Westbrook and Sefolosha added 3-pointers in the final minute as the Thunder increased their lead to 95-85 with 24 seconds left.
Mickael Pietrus scored 14 points for Boston, which lost its fourth straight home game. Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O’Neal and Rajon Rondo had 12 points apiece.
Durant had 10 first-quarter points as Oklahoma City built a 25-17 lead. The Thunder led 46-39 at halftime.
Oklahoma City | Boston | |
Kevin Durant 28 | Scoring | Paul Pierce 24 |
Kevin Durant 4 | Assists | Rajon Rondo 9 |
Kevin Durant 7 | Rebounds | Kevin Garnett 12 |
Kevin Durant 8 | Free Throws Made | Paul Pierce 6 |
Thabo Sefolosha 4 | Steals | Jermaine O'Neal 2 |
Serge Ibaka 4 | Blocks | Kevin Garnett 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Oklahoma City | 97 | 45.0 | 7-19 | 18-19 | 13 | 40 | 6 | 12 | 13 |
Boston | 88 | 39.1 | 6-14 | 14-16 | 18 | 48 | 4 | 6 | 19 |