Kevin Durant’s miserable fourth quarter ended with a final miss that gave Dallas a chance to finish a rally in overtime Friday night.
The Oklahoma City star took care of things in the extra period instead, and ended up with a career high and the first 50-point game in the NBA this season.
Durant scored 52 points, including the go-ahead basket with 16.9 seconds remaining in overtime, and the Thunder held on for a 117-114 victory that extended their winning streak to six games and ended the Mavericks’ season-best run of four straight.
A night after getting voted a starter for the All-Star game, Durant missed six straight shots and was 2 of 11 from the field while the Mavericks were rallying in the fourth quarter. When Durant missed at the buzzer after O.J. Mayo’s tying 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left in regulation, he had to remind himself to keep shooting.
”In overtime, I knew if I got down on myself that I was going to put my team in a tough position to win,” said Durant, whose previous career high was 51 against Denver last February. ”They look at me in crunch time to come through for them. When I don’t have confidence in myself, they make sure they pump me up a little.”
Durant was still scoring because he couldn’t miss at the free throw line. He was 19 of 19 in regulation, which he finished with 43 points.
Vince Carter, who kept the Mavericks close when Oklahoma City threatened to blow them out in the first half, had a season-high 29 points. He hit three free throws to start overtime when he was fouled on a 3-pointer, but Durant answered with a pair on the other end.
Durant went on to score nine of Oklahoma City’s 12 points in overtime and had three go-ahead buckets to help the Thunder avoid losing for the first time in 28 games when leading after three quarters. The Thunder blew a 14-point lead in the second half.
”Experience has helped me a lot,” said Durant, who was 13 of 31 from the field but made all 21 of his free throws and also had nine rebounds.
— Reported by Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press
