Durant’s triple-double leads Thunder past Hawks
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant drives around Atlanta Hawks’ Thabo Sefolosha. AP
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant had 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in his seventh career triple-double, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Atlanta Hawks 107-94 on Thursday (Friday Manila time).
Russell Westbrook had 23 points and 10 assists. It was just the second time both Durant and Westbrook had at least 10 assists in the same game, and the first time it happened in a win.
Durant got his final assist on a pass to Westbrook for a 3-pointer with 1:14 remaining.
Serge Ibaka had a season-high 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who won their third straight.
Kent Bazemore scored 22 points and Jeff Teague had 18 for the Hawks, who had won their previous two games. Kyle Korver added 12 and Thabo Sefolosha finished with 11.
The Thunder outrebounded the Hawks 52-34.
Oklahoma City led 60-49 at halftime behind 17 points from Ibaka and 14 from Westbrook. Durant had eight assists before the break, matching the most he’s posted in the first half of a game in his career.
Bazemore scored 18 points in the first half on 6-for-6 shooting, including 4 for 4 from 3-point range.
Atlanta got back into the game with its 3-point shooting in the third quarter. The Hawks made 4 of 6 3s in the first five minutes of the period to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 70-69.
Oklahoma City regained control in the final minute of the quarter when Anthony Morrow made a 3-pointer to bump the lead back up to 83-75.
Another 3 by Morrow early in the fourth quarter extended Oklahoma City’s lead to 88-79. Later in the quarter, Durant pulled in a defensive rebound, then dribbled up the court and pulled up to make a transition 3-pointer that made it 95-85.
