Durant rings up 41 after Westbrook ruled out of playoffs

Kevin Durant scored 41 points in his first game without injured Russell Westbrook, and the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder opened a 26-point lead before holding off a frenzied Houston Rockets rally and earning a 104-101 victory Saturday that gave it a 3-0 lead in a firstround Western Conference series.

Former Thunder sixth man James Harden scored 30 points for the Rockets, who were playing in their first home playoff game since 2009 and will look to avoid being swept by winning Game 4 on Monday in Houston.

Before the game, the Thunder said Westbrook will miss the rest of the playoffs after having surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. Westbrook suffered the injury when Rockets rookie Patrick Beverley ran into his knee while going for a steal in the second quarter of Game 2 on Wednesday on Oklahoma City.

Before Game 3, Houston and Oklahoma City police said they had launched an investigation after a Thunder ballboy identified as Mitchell Brown tweeted death threats to Beverley.

Grizzlies 104, Clippers 83

Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combined for 48 points and 22 rebounds, and the host Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Clippers to even their first-round Western Conference series 2-2.

Hawks 90, Pacers 69

Al Horford had 26 points and 16 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks held the visiting Indiana Pacers to 27 percent shooting to reduce their deficit in the first-round Eastern Conference series to 2-1.