OKLAHOMA CITY: NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant netted 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to spark Oklahoma City past Houston 117-86 yesterday, giving the Thunder a league-best record of 25-5.
Reggie Jackson, playing in place of the injured Thunder star guard Russell Westbrook, scored 16 points and passed out a game-high eight assists and Thabo Sefolosha added 13 points for Oklahoma City.
The Rockets, who fell to 21-12, were led by 17 points from reserve guard Aaron Brooks and 15 each from Chandler Parsons and reserve Omri Casspi.
Dwight Howard managed only nine points and nine rebounds as Houston fell behind 16-14 after the first quarter and were blitzed in the second half.
Durant produced his seventh 30-point and 10-rebound effort of the season as the Thunder won at home for the 14th time in 15 tries in their first game of the season against Houston.
Westbrook is not expected to return until after the NBA All-Star Game in February after right knee surgery.
Meanwhile, the postgame whoops and hollers from the visitors’ locker room were audible through two closed doors after the Philadelphia 76ers capitalized on their final chance in 2013 to end their 13-game road losing streak.
Thaddeus Young scored seven of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Evan Turner added 22 points, and the 76ers hung on for their first road win since Nov. 1, beating the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 111-104 yesterday.
Spencer Hawes had 19 points and eight rebounds, while Young and Michael Carter-Williams contributed big points down the stretch as the last-place Sixers held on for just their second win in 11 games overall.
“You keep hammering the rock, and one day it’s going to split,’’ Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. “Tonight it split.’’
The Lakers are a shadow of their traditional selves these days, with Pau Gasol joining Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash on the sidelines for this meeting. That didn’t dampen the Sixers’ enthusiasm after doubling their road win total in the second game of a back-to-back set.
Philadelphia had lost 19 of 23 since its unlikely 4-2 start to the season.
“Wins from time to time help validate the work that everybody is putting in,’’ Brown said.
“If there’s such a thing as deserving something, I think they deserved it.’’
Philadelphia went up 104-99 with 1:44 to play on a layup by Young, who added a three-point play on the next possession.
Jordan Farmar’s 3-pointer with 55 seconds left cut the Sixers’ lead to three points, but Shawne Williams missed an open 3-pointer that could have tied it, and Carter-Williams hit two late free throws to secure Philadelphia’s second straight road win over the Lakers.
“It’s definitely a great way to close out the year,’’ Young said.
“We’ve been playing hard all season long. Our record doesn’t say we’re going out there and doing the job, but we’re working to get better every time.’’
Nick Young scored 26 points on 6-for-21 shooting in the Lakers’ fifth consecutive loss.
Agencies
