DALLAS — Kevin Durant scored 28 points, Russell Westbrook had 15 points and nine assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 99-95 in NBA action last Thursday night.
Shawn Marion had a season-high 25 points for the Mavericks, who were without top scorer Dirk Nowitzki for a career-high sixth straight game with a sprained right knee.
Tyson Chandler added 14 points and matched a season high with 18 rebounds. Jason Terry had 19 points for Dallas, 2-4 during Nowitzki’s absence.
Dallas also are missing No. 3 scorer Caron Butler, out for the season after tearing a tendon in his right knee.
In Sacremento, Tyreke Evans had 27 points and a season-high 12 assists for Sacramento in a 122-102 win over the Denver Nuggets.
The Kings had a 23-2 run midway through the second half to build a 21-point lead in their highest-scoring game of the season. They shot 56 per cent and gave coach Paul Westphal his 300th career victory.
Carmelo Anthony had 26 points for Denver.
The Nuggets, coming off a 106-93 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, committed 23 turnovers. (AP)
