NBA: Thunder scoring machine Kevin Durant hits career-high 54

Subscribe Now Choose a package that suits your preferences.
Start Free Account Get access to 7 premium stories every month for FREE!
Already a Subscriber? Current print subscriber? Activate your complimentary Digital account.

OKLAHOMA CITY —Kevin Durant scored a career-high 54 points to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors 127-121 on Friday.

OKLAHOMA CITY —Kevin Durant scored a career-high 54 points to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors 127-121 on Friday.

Durant made 19 of 28 field goals and 11 of 13 free throws in his third straight game with at least 36 points.

Serge Ibaka had 21 points and eight rebounds, Reggie Jackson scored 14 points and Kendrick Perkins added 12 rebounds for the Thunder, who won for the third time in four games. Oklahoma City shot 58 percent from the field and scored a season-high point total.

Stephen Curry had 37 points and 11 assists and Klay Thompson added 26 points for the Warriors, who shot 52 percent but simply couldn’t match up with Durant.

Heat 101, 76ers 86

PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James had 21 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat the Philadelphia 76ers 101-86 on Friday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Chris Bosh scored 25 points, Norris Cole and Shane Battier had 13 points apiece, and the Heat avoided their first four-game losing streak since March 2011. The Heat dropped games at New York, Brooklyn and Washington, but had no trouble against the Sixers in this one.

Trail Blazers 109, Spurs 100

SAN ANTONIO — LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, and Wesley Matthews scored 24 points.

Damian Lillard had 21 points and eight assists and Mo Williams added 13 points as Portland snapped San Antonio’s six-game winning streak. Matthews shot 6 for 7 on 3-pointers.

Lakers 107, Celtics 104

BOSTON — Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo returned from a knee injury and missed a 3-pointer that could have sent the game into overtime, sending the Lakers to the win.

Pau Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Los Angeles, and Kendall Marshall finished with 19 points and 14 assists. Ryan Kelly scored 20 points and Wesley Johnson added 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Kelly Olynyk scored a career-high 25 points for Boston. Rondo, who was limited to 20 minutes in his first game since tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament on Jan. 25, 2013, had eight points, four assists and two rebounds.

Clippers 109, Knicks 95

NEW YORK — Blake Griffin scored 32 points, Jamal Crawford added 29 and the Clippers opened a seven-game road trip with their fifth straight victory.

DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers, who dominated the second half to hand the Knicks their third consecutive loss.

Jazz 110, Pistons 89

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Trey Burke had 20 points and a career-high 12 assists in his return to Michigan, leading Utah to the victory.

Burke, who was the national player of the year at Michigan last season and led the Wolverines to the Final Four, had plenty of supporters in the crowd at the Palace. He shook off a slow start and outplayed Detroit counterpart Brandon Jennings as the Jazz built a big lead.

Grizzlies 91, Kings 90

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Mike Conley had 25 points and six assists for Memphis, and then grabbed possession of a jump ball in the final 2 seconds to help the Grizzlies secure their season-high fifth straight win.

Courtney Lee added 17 points for Memphis. Marc Gasol, in his third game back after missing 23 games with a knee injury, finished with 16 points, and Zach Randolph had 12 points and nine rebounds.

DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with 22 points and 17 rebounds, while Rudy Gay scored 19 points.

Mavericks 110, Suns 107

PHOENIX — Rookie Shane Larkin scored a career-high 18 points for Dallas, including two free throws with 11.1 seconds to play.

The Suns had a chance to tie the game after Vince Carter turned it over trying to inbound the ball after a basket by Phoenix with 6.7 seconds left. But P.J. Tucker’s try from the corner rimmed out, and replays showed his foot was on the line so it would have been for two points, anyway.

Raptors 94, Timberwolves 89

TORONTO — Kyle Lowry scored 24 points, Amir Johnson had 19 and the Rtors beat Minnesota for their 10th straight home victory over the Timberwolves.

DeMar DeRozan shook off a poor shooting performance to score 15 points and Terrence Ross had 16 as the Raptors won their sixth straight home game.

Cavaliers 117, Nuggets 109

DENVER — Kyrie Irving scored 23 points for Cleveland, and Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

C.J. Miles added 19 points for Cleveland, including four free throws down the stretch. Luol Deng scored 18.

Wizards 96, Bulls 93

WASHINGTON — John Wall had 23 points and 11 assists, helping the Wizards reach .500 for the third time this season.

The Wizards had six players score in double figures in their third straight victory, two of them coming against Chicago. Bradley Beal and Martell Webster had 14 points apiece.

Bobcats 111, Magic 101

ORLANDO, Fla. — Al Jefferson had 30 points and 16 rebounds for Charlotte, and Kemba Walker added 19 points and 10 assists.

The Magic dug out of an 18-point first-half hole and pulled to 78-76 early in the fourth quarter. But the Bobcats shot 16 for 20 on free throws in the final period to help secure the win.