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Thunder 119, Raptors 118 (2 OT)
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
TORONTO — Forward Kevin Durant scored a game-high 51 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder stretched their winning streak to three games with a 119-118 double-overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Durant hit a deep 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining in the second overtime to seal the victory.
The Thunder star went 14 of 19 from the line and 15 of 32 from the field. Guard Reggie Jackson scored 25 points off the bench.
It was a costly win for Oklahoma City, however, as guard Russell Westbrook left the game in the third quarter after spraining his surgically repaired right knee.
The Thunder (51-18) led 72-71 after three quarters, but the mood in the game noticeably changed 4:24 into the third when Westbrook and Raptors guard Kyle Lowry bumped knees while Lowry was attempting to block a Westbrook 3-point shot.
Westbrook was immediately favoring his right knee, which has been surgically repaired three times. Teammates helped Westbrook to the dressing room and he did not return.
Westbrook finished 5 of 13 from the field and 1 for 4 from 3-point range while picking up 15 points in just over 19 minutes.
Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points to lead the Raptors.
Toronto (38-30) dropped to 1-6 in overtime this season and 16-6 at home since Dec. 28.
Lowry forced double-overtime hitting a shot from deep with 7.4 seconds remaining and tying it at 107 in the first overtime.
Lowry and center Amir Johnson finished with 25 points each.
Oklahoma City used a 10-2 run to open a 82-75 in the fourth quarter. Toronto responded with a 9-2 run of its own to take a 90-89 lead late in the quarter.
The Raptors opened the second quarter on a 8-0 run to take a 28-22 lead. The Thunder was 0 of 7 from the field during the run.
After an Oklahoma City timeout, Raptors guard Greivis Vasquez laid it in off the window, extending the run to 10-0.
The Thunder pulled to within one, 30-29, with a 7-0 run of their own, capped by a 3-pointer from guard Derek Fisher.
Westbrook ended the first half by draining a shot from deep, sending the Thunder to the break trailing 46-42.
The Raptors used a 6-2 run to open a 17-14 lead with 3:41 remaining in the first quarter.
Durant went just 2 of 8 from the field in the first quarter but scored the Thunder’s final five points, giving Oklahoma City a 22-20 lead after one quarter.
NOTES: Raptors C Amir Johnson played in career game No. 500 on Friday night. … Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas returned to the starting lineup after missing Wednesday’s game in New Orleans with a lower-back sprain. … Oklahoma City entered the game 1 1/2 games back of San Antonio for the top spot in the Western Conference. … Toronto came into Friday night’s action with a 2 1/2-game lead on the Brooklyn Nets for top spot in the Atlantic Division but just a half-game up on the Chicago Bulls for the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
