National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Oklahoma City 102, Cleveland 95
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, March 20, 2014
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Officials: #45 Brian Forte, #46 Ben Taylor, #23 Jason Phillips
Attendance: 18246

Thunder 102, Cavaliers 95: Kevin Durant poured in 35 points as Oklahoma City fended off host Cleveland despite playing without Russell Westbrook.

Durant shot 12-of-21 from the floor and scored 25 or more points for the 33rd consecutive game while adding 11 rebounds and six assists for the Thunder, who nearly squandered a 24-point fourth-quarter lead. Serge Ibaka added 16 points, 11 boards and three blocked shots while Reggie Jackson contributed 13 points.

Dion Waiters tied a season high with 30 points for the Cavaliers, who have dropped three in a row and seven of nine. Spencer Hawes added 20 while Matthew Dellavedova added 11 to go along with a career-best 10 assists.

The Thunder enjoyed a 10-point lead at the half but found another gear in the third quarter, hitting seven straight shots over a span of nearly four minutes - highlighted by Durant and Jackson 3-pointers - to turn a 61-50 advantage into a 77-61 bulge. The lead grew to as many as 24 on a Caron Butler 3-pointer with 6:33 remaining, and the Thunder held on despite Cleveland going on a 12-0 run and closing to within five on a Waiters layup with 1:12 left.

Durant was a one-man show in the first half, erupting for 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting to help the Thunder go into the break with a 56-46 advantage. Hawes and Waiters had 10 points apiece for the Cavaliers.

GAME NOTEBOOK:
Westbrook missed the game to rest with the Thunder playing again in Toronto on Friday. Thunder head coach Scott Brooks has said Westbrook would not play both ends of a back-to-back for the rest of the season. ... The Cavaliers were without starting PG Kyrie Irving (biceps strain) and SF Luol Deng (ankle) as well as G C.J. Miles (ankle). ... Oklahoma City finished with a 53-36 rebounding advantage.
Top Game Performances
 
Oklahoma City   Cleveland
Kevin Durant 35 Scoring Dion Waiters 30
Kevin Durant 6 Assists Matthew Dellavedova 10
Kevin Durant 11 Rebounds Tristan Thompson 10
Kevin Durant 8 Free Throws Made Dion Waiters 6
Derek Fisher 4 Steals Dion Waiters 3
Serge Ibaka 3 Blocks N/A
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Oklahoma City 102 42.7 10-31 16-20 21 53 7 8 18
Cleveland 95 44.4 8-22 15-24 27 36 0 9 12
Upcoming Games
  • Cleveland will play their next game at home against Houston. The Cavaliers have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Oklahoma City will play their next game on the road against Toronto. The Thunder have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.