(Reuters) – The Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to their sixth straight win on Tuesday after an incredible night of shooting earned them a 117-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
The red-hot Thunder made a season-high 60 percent of field goals, Kevin Durant leading the way with 32 points while Russell Westbrook added 25 and nine assists.
Oklahoma City (15-4), the defending Western Conference champions, made 30 of 34 free throws and 7 of 14 three-pointers.
Brooklyn were chasing for much of the game and pulled within 104-102 with about four minutes left, only for Durant to respond with six straight points for Oklahoma City. Thabo Sefolosha padded the lead back to six in the final minute with a rebound put-back.
“I saw (Westbrook) shoot, and basically the ball bounced on the rim and came toward me,” Sefolosha told reporters. “So I just had to step in and get the rebound.”
The Thunder have the league’s leading offence and have now scored 100 points in 10 straight games.
“I think we are meshing great,” Westbrook said. “We are doing a great job of passing the basketball, playing off each other, and making each other better.”
Deron Williams carried the home team with 33 points, and Andray Blatche got 19 and 11 rebounds in place of injured center Brook Lopez, but the Nets (11-6) could not match Oklahoma City’s accuracy. Brooklyn finished with 43 percent shooting from the field.
The Nets, who were also without top rebounder Reggie Evans because of flu, have now lost two straight following a five-game win streak.
They fell behind in the third quarter where the Thunder went on a 12-2 run and led by as many as 16.
Gerald Wallace knocked down four three-pointers in the final four minutes of the third, to bring his team back within striking distance, but they could not close the gap.