Durant Leads Thunder Over Celtics 130-109
BOSTON -- The TD Garden crowd chanted "Come to Boston" when Kevin Durant was shooting free throws in Wednesday night's game.
For now, and through at least the end of the season, Durant plays for Oklahoma City, and he and Russell Westbrook led the Thunder to a 130-109 blowout of the Boston Celtics.
Durant, a potential unrestricted free agent this summer, is suddenly the local darling, and he even said he likes the city. However, he was the enemy Wednesday, helping send the Celtics to their third consecutive loss -- and unleash boos from the crowd there to recruit Durant and also to see their team win.
Durant scored seven points in the first 1:18 and went on to total 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while Westbrook had 24 points, five assists and five rebounds. Westbrook sat out the entire fourth quarter and Durant sat for most of it as the Thunder won their second straight but only their eighth in the past 17 games.
The Thunder (46-22) never trailed, and they used a 42-point third quarter to break the game. Oklahoma City led by as many as 29 points late in the third and by 30 in the fourth. The Celtics, with five little-used players and Tyler Zeller playing, cut the deficit in half, exciting what was left of the crowd.
Oklahoma City, 7-for-45 from 3-point range in losing two straight prior to winning Monday night, were 12-for-29 from beyond the arc Wednesday, improving to 21-for-46 in the past two games.
Enes Kanter had 17 points and 12 rebounds, Serge Ibaka scored 14 points and Randy Foye added 13 for the Thunder.
Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics (39-29) with 29 points. Zeller scored 16, and Amir Johnson had 11 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Avery Bradley contributed 14 points, and Jared Sullinger finished with 12.
NOTES: Because of injury, Thunder F Kevin Durant missed the previous four meetings with the Celtics. He made his first TD Garden appearance since 2012. ... Both teams got players back -- G Dion Waiters returning for the Thunder after missing four games due to the death of his brother, and F Kelly Olynyk was back for Boston after missing 12 games with a shoulder injury. Waiters scored five points, and Olynyk had eight. ... With Boston F Jae Crowder out with an ankle injury, G Marcus Smart again started as a forward in a three-guard offense. Smart missed all four 3-point attempts, leaving him 4-for-27 from 3-point range in the past six games. He scored two points Wednesday. ... After dealing with Durant and G Russell Westbrook on Wednesday, the Celtics visit G DeMar DeRozan and the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. ... Westbrook had his 12th career triple-double of the year Monday night against Portland. The Thunder went on a 40-8 first-half run to blow the game open after losing the previous two games.
