Durant does it again as Thunder rally past Hawks
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 41 points, including the game-winning jumper with 1.5 seconds left, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat the Atlanta Hawks 111-109 Monday night for their eighth straight victory.
Durant scored 13 in the fourth quarter, including a 16-foot, step-back jumper with 25.5 seconds remaining that put Oklahoma City ahead for the first time since the opening 2 minutes. Paul Millsap tied it for Atlanta before Durant knocked down the decisive 12-footer while being guarded by DeMarre Carroll.
Shelvin Mack tried to throw a pass to Millsap on the final play, but Thabo Sefolosha knocked it away. Millsap led the Hawks with 23 points.
Durant’s 11-game streak of 30 or more points is the longest in the NBA since Tracy McGrady did it in 14 straight games in March and April 2003.
Durant had another efficient outing, shooting 15 of 25 from the field and 5 for 7 from 3-point range. During his streak, the star forward has had four 40-point outings.
Reggie Jackson had 18 points for Oklahoma City (36-10), which takes the Western Conference’s best record into a showdown Wednesday at Miami, the two-time defending NBA champion.
The Hawks led by 14 early in the third quarter and still held a double-digit advantage in the final minute of the period before Durant fueled the Thunder’s rally. His layup with 2:11 left tied the score at 107.
Atlanta managed only one basket and two points in the final 3:50.
The Hawks hit seven of their first nine 3-point attempts and led by as many as 14 points in the first half before settling for a 57-50 halftime lead. Mack went 3 of 4 from behind the arc and Dennis Schroder was 2 for 2, putting up 10 points in the half after scoring 12 points combined in his previous 12 games.
Atlanta opened the second half with a 10-3 run to extend its lead to 14 points. Oklahoma City scored the next nine points and drew to 67-62 after a 3-pointer by Jackson, but Kyle Korver hit two 3-pointers as the Hawks scored eight of the next 10 points to rebuild a double-digit advantage at 75-64.
Jeremy Lamb scored 14 points for Oklahoma City. Serge Ibaka managed only nine points but the NBA leader in blocked shots had a season-high six.
Seven Hawks reached double figures in scoring. Mike Scott had 16 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Carroll and Mack had 15 points each, while Korver scored 14 and Lou Williams and Schroder had 10 each.
NOTES: For the fourth time this season, the Thunder have assigned G Andre Roberson to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League. Roberson has played in 19 games for the Thunder and he made four starts earlier this season. . Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and Cleveland Browns QB Brandon Weeden, who is from nearby Edmond, attended the game. . Ibaka was called for a technical with 3:48 left in the first quarter after complaining about receiving a personal foul. . Korver extended his NBA-record streak of hitting at least one 3-pointer to 113 games. . The Thunder held their sixth annual Military Appreciation Night, with military personnel and their families attending thanks in part to more than 1,000 season-ticket holders who gave away seats for the game.