Durant powers Warriors past Thunder

LOS ANGELES: Kevin Durant delivered 28 points and Stephen Curry finished with 21 points and nine rebounds as the Golden State Warriors improved to 46-14 with a 112-80 win over Oklahoma City.

After a see-saw first half the defending league champion Warriors got in a groove, going on a 21-1 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to seize control and turn Saturday’s contest into a blowout.

The Warriors also avenged a pair of losses to the Thunder in November and just before the NBA All-Star Game break earlier this month.

“We’re champions. We’re 46-14 and we’ve got one of the best road records in the league,” Durant said.

Thunder star Paul George was held to just five points, while a struggling Carmelo Anthony scored only 14. Russell Westbrook led Oklahoma City with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

“He’s played at such a high level offensively for such a long time, a night like tonight’s going to happen,” coach Billy Donovan said of George.

Anthony’s frustration boiled over when he got into a testy exchange with the Warriors’ Draymond Green. Green was given a technical foul – his 15th of the season – for swatting the head of Anthony who then threw his blue headband down on the court before engaging Green.

Elsewhere, the Miami Heat used a balanced scoring attack to halt a three-game losing streak by rolling over the struggling Memphis Grizzlies 115-89. — AFP