Durant takes over, rallies Thunder by Lakers
LOS ANGELES — For three quarters, the Los Angeles Lakers tempted the sellout crowd at Staples Center into believing they would pull off one of the most improbable upsets of the NBA season.
Then Kevin Durant took over and the Lakers got sloppy with the ball, turning it into just another loss in a season full of them for coach Mike D’Antoni’s undermanned squad.
Durant scored 19 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter and the Oklahoma City Thunder sent the Lakers to a record- setting seventh straight home loss with a 107- 103 victory on Thursday night.
“The easy thing to do is look at it like we didn’t have the proper focus. But I’m not going to go there — because when you play against an NBA team that’s prideful like the Lakers, they’re going to have a good game,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said.
The Thunder have a 1 ½ - game lead on Indiana for the NBA’s best record. Their 43- 12 mark equals the best start in the franchise’s 47- year history, set by the 1995- 96 Seattle Supersonics.
Oklahoma City is 20- 7 without second- leading scorer Russell Westbrook, who hasn’t played since getting a tripledouble on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden. Westbrook is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.
“This whole group, they are resilient,” Durant said. “We persevered through everything and just stayed together. We had faith no matter what. We are looking forward to having Russell back and make it seem less of a transition for him.”
Chris Kaman and Wesley Johnson scored 19 points apiece for Los Angeles, and Kendall Marshall added 14 points and 17 assists. The Lakers have lost 22 of their last 27 games and are tied with Sacramento for last place in the Western Conference.
The Thunder trailed by as many as 15 points late in the third quarter while Durant missed his first eight attempts from 3- point range. But Durant’s first 3- pointer of the game cut the Lakers’ lead to 85- 77 in the opening minute of the fourth, triggering a 15- 2 run that enabled Oklahoma City to pull ahead 92- 87 with 5: 46 to play.
“He just continued to play the game and do what he has done all season,” teammate and former Laker Derek Fisher said. “He is one of the best I have seen in terms if really just playing through anything and everything.” Los Angeles committed seven of its 23 turnovers during the first 4: 03 of the final period, and Fisher tied it at 87- all on a 3- pointer. Durant then stole the ball from Johnson and hit a driving layup that gave the Thunder their first lead, 89- 87. The fivetime All- Star capped the rally with a 3- pointer 32 seconds later.
Bulls 92, Nets 76
CHICAGO — Taj Gibson scored 16 points for Chicago, and Carlos Boozer returned from an injury to add 15. Boozer missed the last three games because of a strained left calf.
Joakim Noah had 14 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth straight double- double. The Bulls ( 27- 25) moved two games above .500 for the first time since they were 6- 4 on Nov. 21. They have won four of five.
Paul Pierce led Brooklyn with 15 points in the teams’ final game before the All- Star break. The Nets are 24- 27, going 14- 6 since Jan. 1.
The Nets pulled within three on Andrei Kirilenko’s 3- pointer with 6: 29 left. D. J. Augustin answered with a 3- pointer to start a 9- 0 Chicago run.
The Nets’ Joe Johnson and the Bulls’ Jimmy Butler were called for technical fouls and Johnson for an offensive foul after they exchanged words and had to be separated by their teammates with 5: 57 left in the third quarter. Johnson elbowed Butler on the play, and Butler was restrained by his teammates before Johnson poked Butler’s face.