OKLAHOMA CITY: Kevin Durant scored 24 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped San Antonio’s 11-game NBA win streak with a 94-88 home victory yesterday over the Spurs.
Spanish Olympian Serge Ibaka scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half to help the Thunder remain unbeaten on their home court this season.
The Thunder improved to 10-3 with their fifth win in a row and 7-0 at home this season, but Oklahoma City still trails Portland (13-2) by two games in the Northwest division.
The Spurs fell to 13-2, still 2.5 games atop second-place Houston in the Southwest division.
Thunder reserve Reggie Jackson matched a career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting.
French guard Tony Parker led the Spurs with 16 points and seven assists, while Kawhi Leonard contributed 14 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in a losing cause.
San Antonio clung to a 52-51 lead early in the second half when the Thunder ran off eight points in a row, a spurt that ended with a Durant slam dunk off a Russell Westbrook steal.
The Thunder stayed in front to the finish, although a 9-1 spurt by the Spurs pulled San Antonio within 79-76 on a Marco Belinelli jumper.
Oklahoma City scored seven of the next eight points, including a 3-point play by Durant and the Thunder went 6-of-6 at the free throw line in the final 80 seconds to seal the triumph.
Meanwhile, LeBron James scored 28 points, grabbed eight rebounds and passed out eight assists against his former club Wednesday to spark the Miami Heat over the host Cleveland Cavaliers 95-84.
James, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, guided the two-time defending NBA champions to their eighth victory in a row as well as Miami’s eighth consecutive victory in matchups against the Cavaliers, the home-area club James played for until leaving for the Heat in 2010.
“It’s always a little weird,” James said of playing against Cleveland and fans who still feel spurned by his departure.
“I just wanted to come out and take care of business,” he added yesterday.
Dwyane Wade added 22 points for the Heat, and Michael Beasley scored 17 off the bench for Miami, which is 11-1 overall against Cleveland since James joined the Heat.
James will host his team-mates at his Ohio home TOday for a US Thanksgiving holiday celebration.
Dion Waiters scored 24 points to lead the Cavaliers, who have lost four in a row and seven of their last eight. Kyrie Irving scored 16 points and Earl Clark netted13 for Cleveland.
The Heat, who have not lost since falling to Boston on November 9, will visit Toronto tomorrow.
Agencies
