Thursday, January 1, 2015
Durant scores 44 in triumphant Thunder return
OKLAHOMA CITY - Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant scored 44 points Wednesday in his return after missing six games, powering the Oklahoma City Thunder over visiting Phoenix 137-134 in overtime.
Durant had been sidelined by a sprained right ankle suffered in a loss two weeks ago at Golden State.
The superstar playmaker missed the Thunder's first 17 games of the season following surgery on his right foot, but Oklahoma City has gone 8-2 with Durant in the lineup and improved to 16-17 this season with the victory.
Durant, who also contributed a game-high 10 rebounds and team-best seven assists, connected on 13-of-23 shots from the field, including 6-of-11 from 3-point range, and made all 12 of his free-throw attempts, four of them in over-time.
Russell Westbrook added 20 points and Serge Ibaka added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder.
Eric Bledsoe led the Suns with 29 points and a game-high eight assists while Markieff Morris added 25 points for Phoenix, which fell to 18-16.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
