Boston Celtics outlast Oklahoma City Thunder as Kevin Durant’s absence is felt

Kobe Bryant did not enjoy the best shooting night of his storied career but, in his second game back from injury, he did enough to help the Los Angeles Lakers snap their losing streak at four with a 97-85 win over the Detroit Pistons.

As much of New England focused on a football game that could not kill hopes of a flawless season, Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart should have worn a helmet against Russell Westbrook. He was part of a collective effort that held the reigning scoring champion to 5-of-20 shooting.

Westbrook still scored 27 points while carrying a larger load than usual because Kevin Durant was out with a left hamstring strain.

Forward Serge Ibaka was the only other Thunder player to score in double figures, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

It was only a sliver of Smart’s big night, one in which he posted the career-high 26 points on 9-of-14 shooing to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and the block over 34 minutes.

With guard Avery Bradley coming off the bench, the Celtics reserves torched Oklahoma City in the fourth quarter.

“Uh, no. I don’t agree with you, but no. He had a good game…82 games”. “We’ve been in this league a long time and we’ve made our names with what we do”, Conley said. I’ve got to keep working to get back. The C’s trailed by a basket at the start of the fourth (74-72), and immediately pushed out with a 17-2 run over the first 5:22 of the quarter. “You get off to a good start but in the second half you just can’t make anything”. I think Oklahoma has a special place in his heart.

Smart displayed a rarely seen offensive aggression and coupled it with his typical defensive tenacity. He said he was impressed with Butler’s 144-71 win over The Citadel on Saturday night…. Kyle Singler had scored 18 points over his first eight games this season, but had eight Sunday…. He would have hit double digits if he hadn’t missed three free throws. There was a marriage proposal during Kiss Cam in the third quarter…. Midway through the first quarter, he split Steven Adams and Dion Waiters before putting up a high-arcing, right-handed floater in the lane that rattled home.

The Celtics wrap up their brief two-game trip when they face the Rockets in Houston on Monday night.