Los Angeles: Kevin Durant scored 31 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a fifth straight NBA victory on Sunday, a 104-98 overtime triumph over the Utah Jazz. Durant made 10 of his 17 attempts from the floor, handing out six assists and pulling down five rebounds.
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook added 25 points and 11 assists as Oklahoma City beat the Jazz for the second time in three days. Durant, who scored just two points in the first half, knotted the score with a dunk with 14.6 seconds remaining.
The Jazz threw the ball away on the ensuing possession and it went to overtime, with the Thunder scoring eight straight points to put the game away. Rodney Hood scored 23 points and Gordon Hayward added 22 for the Jazz, who saw 13 shots blocked by the Thunder — including six blocks by Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka.
Wade fires Miami to victory
In Miami, Dwyane Wade hit the game-winning jump shot with 21.9 seconds left as the Heat rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 100-97. The Heat scored the game’s final 11 points, including Wade's shot that hit the front rim and the backboard before falling.
Chris Bosh scored 22 points for the Heat, Gerald Green added 16 points, Luol Deng scored 15 and Wade produced 14 as Miami snapped a season-worst three-game losing streak. Wade seemed an unlikely savior for the Heat after connecting on just five of his first 14 shots.
But Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wasn’t surprised that he came up with the goods when it mattered. Meanwhile, Brandon Knight bounced back from his worst game of the season to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 108-101 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Toronto, the Raptors’ fourth straight win came at the expense of the hapless Philadelphia 76ers, who fell to 1-24 with a 96-76 defeat. The 76ers also lost forward Nerlens Noel to a corneal abrasion in his left eye late in the third quarter.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
