MINNEAPOLIS -- The young Minnesota Timberwolves were gaining confidence as they cut a commanding Oklahoma City Thunder lead to single digits in the fourth quarter Tuesday night.

Then Thunder forward Kevin Durant showed there is still a big difference between potential and NBA stardom.

Durant overcame early shooting woes to score 30 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, and Oklahoma City held on to beat Minnesota 101-96.

The All-Star shot 7-for-17 in the first three quarters but responded each time as the Timberwolves drew close in the final minutes.

He added seven rebounds, three assists and a big steal in the final minutes when Minnesota had an advantage on a fastbreak.

"I've got to get it going there in the first three quarters," Durant said. "Can't just come out and try to save the game and make shots in the fourth. I've got to get it going early."

Thunder guard Russell Westbrook compiled 22 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Center Enes Kanter added 18 points off the bench for Oklahoma City, which won for the third time in four games.

Forward Andrew Wiggins scored 22 points for Minnesota, which has lost 11 of its past 12 games. Guard Zach LaVine had 21 points and forward Shabazz Muhammad added 20 points in reserve roles for the Timberwolves, who closed to within three in the final minute.

Minnesota's struggling youth put up a fight against the Northwest Division-leading Thunder. However, Oklahoma City (27-12) counted on its two stars, Westbrook and Durant, for a great start and finish, respectively.

"(Durant) and Westbrook, those two are just great," Timberwolves coach Sam Mitchell said. "At 6-10, 6-11, (Durant) can just get his shot basically anytime he wants. And then it's basically if you put enough pressure on him to make him arch or flinch a little bit, but he's just a great scorer."

The Timberwolves (12-27) had to fight their way back from a devastating beginning that saw Oklahoma City take a 15-2 lead. Left to shoot long jump shots, Minnesota missed 11 of its first 13 shots and was eight of 21 in the first period.

Minnesota shot 44.4 percent for the game, while Oklahoma City shot 46.4 percent.

"The thing I'm proud of these young guys every night (is that) we miss shots but they fight and they scratch, they claw, they get some stops and then we figure out a way at certain points how to get the ball in the basket," Mitchell said.

Westbrook took control early on the offensive end, scoring 12 points in the first quarter.

Keyed by Wiggins, who missed six of his first seven shots in the game, Minnesota used a 19-8 run over the third and fourth quarters to get within range of the Thunder. Wiggins scored seven points in the fourth and brought the Timberwolves within 89-86 on a dunk in traffic.

However, Durant calmly hit a jump shot on the other end to push the lead back to five points. Each time, Minnesota threatened, Durant would answer with a big jump shot on the other side.

"I think the one thing about him is he always stays engaged," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "He's got a lot of confidence, he's put a lot of time in, he's worked very hard. So in those moments he's really, really prepared to step up regardless of what's happened with the shot before. Tonight, he did that."

Timberwolves rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns finished with his 18th double-double of the season, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

"There's going to be nights where we can play like this, and then there's going to be nights where it looks like they're lost," Mitchell said. "That's just part of it. That's what 20-year-olds do."

NOTES: Minnesota C Nikola Pekovic was a healthy inactive as he returns from right Achilles tendon surgery. The night off was rest for Pekovic, who played in the previous three games. Pekovic is expected to play the second game of the back-to-back at Houston, with F Kevin Garnett likely getting the night off. ... Oklahoma City has three players currently in the top 10 in the NBA in player efficiency rating with a minimum of 200 minutes played. G Russell Westbrook is second with a career-high 29.8 efficiency rating. F Kevin Durant is third at 28.3, and C Enes Kanter is ninth with a career-best 23.7 rating. ... Durant has scored at least 20 points in the past 24 games, the longest current streak in the NBA, since returning from a hamstring injury. ... Since beginning the season 8-8, Minnesota is 4-19.