Thunder put down Pistons
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. >> Kevin Durant scored 28 points, Russell Westbrook added 22 points and 11 rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Detroit Pistons 96-94 on Sunday night.
The Pistons have lost 12 straight, two short of the franchise record. Detroit’s last win came on Nov. 14 in overtime at Oklahoma City, a game that both Durant and Westbrook missed due to injury.
Serge Ibaka added 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led Detroit with 19 points.
The Thunder led 77-75 going into the fourth, then scored the first seven points of the period, including another four-shot possession. Oklahoma City’s surge got an exclamation point when Westbrook broke through the Detroit defense and dunked on Josh Smith.
The Pistons pulled back within 93-92 on Kyle Singler’s 3-pointer with 2:18 to play, but Durant answered with his first 3-pointer of the game.
Andre Drummond’s dunk made it a two-point game with 31 seconds left, and Westbrook missed, but Smith, one of the worst 3-point shooters in the league, missed badly from behind the arc.
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