OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 24 points, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 106-90 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, extending the league’s longest current win streak to six games.
Dion Waiters scored 18 points, Enes Kanter had 12 points and 13 rebounds and Steven Adams added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder, who have held seven consecutive opponents under 100 points. Oklahoma City allowed 100 or more points in 11 of their first 14 games.
The Thunder, who play at Cleveland on Thursday, rested four of their starters for the entire fourth quarter.
C.J. McCollum scored 24 points and Damian Lillard added 20 for the Trail Blazers, but Lillard was held scoreless on 0-for-9 shooting in the second half.
Mason Plumlee added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers.
The Thunder controlled most of the first half, but Portland made three 3-pointers in the final 1:02 of the second quarter to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 52-45 at the break. Portland’s three baskets in the final 62 seconds of the half matched their total from the rest of the second quarter. Lillard had 20 points in the first half to keep the Trail Blazers in it.
The Thunder opened the second half on a 10-2 run to push their lead out to 62-47 and force Portland to call a timeout. Waiters was fouled on a nifty reverse layup late in the third quarter, and he made the free throw to put the Thunder up 86-67. Durant scored 15 points in the third quarter after scoring just nine in the first half.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Portland coach Terry Stotts, a former Oklahoma player, mentioned during the pregame how much he respects current Sooners coach Lon Kruger. Oklahoma is unbeaten and ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25. He was happy the Sooners are in the Top 5 in both football (No. 4) and basketball.
Thunder: Durant was called for a technical with 5:42 left in the first quarter. He felt he was pushed in the back on a shot, didn’t get the call and told the official how he felt about it. … Adams’ 9 points in the first quarter were the most he’s scored in a first quarter in his career. … No Thunder player reached double figures in the first half. … Adams posted the 12th double-double of his career and his first of the season.
UP NEXT
Portland: At Orlando on Friday.
