Thunder 89, Bobcats 85: Kevin Durant's 34 points and 12 rebounds led visiting Oklahoma City in its first game without injured point guard Russell Westbrook.

Durant shouldered the bulk of the scoring load with Westbrook on the sidelines, shooting 14-of-28 from the field while adding six assists. Serge Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha added 12 points apiece, while Jeremy Lamb and Reggie Jackson each had 10.

Kemba Walker scored 18 points to pace Charlotte, which failed to climb to .500 for the season. Al Jefferson scored 16 points, Gerald Henderson added 14 and Josh McRoberts had 13 but came up short on the potential go-ahead 3-pointer with just over three seconds remaining.

Durant overcame a sluggish start in style, scoring 12 of the Thunder's final 18 points of the opening half - including a driving layup in transition that keyed a 12-0 run and helped put Oklahoma City up 42-36 at the break. The Thunder stretched the lead to 13 on Jackson's fast-break dunk with 8:45 remaining in the third quarter, but the Bobcats stormed back with a 12-0 run capped by McRoberts and Walker 3-pointers as they entered the fourth down 62-60.

Derek Fisher extended the lead to seven on a transition 3 from the left corner with 8:26 left, but a McRoberts 3-pointer off a Durant turnover made it a one-possession game just past the midway point of the final quarter. Durant responded with a 3 from the top of the arc after an Oklahoma City timeout, added another 3 at the end of the shot clock with 3:36 remaining and the Thunder held on the rest of the way.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Westbrook underwent arthroscopic surgery to deal with swelling in his recently repaired knee and is expected to be out until after the All-Star break. The 25-year-old point guard averages 21.3 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 25 games. ... Jackson, who will take over the starting role in Westbrook's absence, shot just 4-for-19. ... Jefferson added 11 boards for his eighth double-double of the month.