Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates a basket with teammate Dion Waiters during the second half in Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Dallas. AP
DALLAS , Texas—Kevin Durant bounced back from the worst shooting game of his playoff career with 34 points and Oklahoma City retook control of its first-round series with a 131-102 victory over Dallas in Game 3 on Thursday night.
Durant had seven field goals midway through the second quarter on nine shots after he needed 33 to get there in a Game 2 loss that followed a 38-point win in the opener.
The 2014 MVP scored 20 points in the first half, when the Thunder led by as many as 19 points on their way to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Game 4 is Saturday night in Dallas.
Dirk Nowitzki played despite a right knee bruise and scored 16 points for the Mavericks, who missed 10 of their first 12 shots from 3-point range.
Russell Westbrook scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half and had 15 assists.