Durant, Westbrook lead Thunder over Nuggets 110-104

A 110-104 Thunder win over the Nuggets on Tuesday was anything but a handout. Kevin Durant plays a very important role for the team.

CITY (AP) – Russell Westbrook followed one of his most forgettable performances of the season with one of his most efficient. Westbrook added 27 points and 12 assists, while Kanter was a beast in the paint with 25 points and eight rebounds. He bounced back from being ejected Wednesday against Dallas following two skirmishes with J.J. Barea.

Westbrook has been a major reason for the surge and aims for a third consecutive triple-double at home.

Westbrook liked the Thunder’s overall efficiency.

“We challenged every shot”, Middleton said. “What you guys really want is someone who’s open and honest with you, and who’s opinionated”. He showed no signs of aging during the first half, scoring 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting.

“He’s not a good sight for us”, Malone said. “They stepped up there pressure, we turned the ball over and didn’t get the type of shots we wanted”.

Oklahoma City had no interest in giving up their lead and exploded for 17-2 run that left Miami shell shocked and down 66-50 with five minutes left to play in the third quarter. It was his fifth triple-double of the season, which ranks second in the league. For instance, the Nuggets got out to a 15-6 start in the third quarter. Right now, I’m just going off how I feel. “He did a good job of catching it and finishing”. It seems when Durant does well, so does Oklahoma City. The skid dropped the Suns (13-29) into a tie with the Wolves for the fourth-worst record in the National Basketball Association and is the worst record at the halfway point for the Suns since their inaugural season in 1968-69. The Nuggets can build around Barton and Mudiay going forward, both dynamic offensive talents and plenty youthful.

In the first, Russell Westbrook came out 0-for-5 from the field and the Thunder had five turnovers to Denver’s one. Holyfield was included on the Flex Cam, and he offered a biceps pose.

Oklahoma stretched its lead to 25 points before sitting Durant and Westbrook down. The fourth quarter was mostly a formality.

Bulls guard Jimmy Butler scored just 4 points a day after pouring in a career-high 53 in an overtime win against Philadelphia. That shot missed everything. The Timberwolves outrebounded the Thunder 45-40.

It really looked like things could get ugly in Denver, as the Thunder trailed the Nuggets by 12 points in the second quarter while OKC’s energy level look to be as thin as the air they were breathing. And Durant also took aim at the media earlier this season, rebuking it for the way Kobe Bryant was being covered.

January 15 v Minnesota: Tallied 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds in a 113-93 win against the Timberwolves.