8/13/2019 La Racha de Durant

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PHILADELPHIA -- Kevin Durant went from a game off to a game to remember.

Durant had 32 points !" rebounds and !# assists in his return from a shou$der in%ur& to $ead

the '($ahoma )it& *hunder  to their seventh straight win a !#3-+! vi,tor& over the

Phi$ade$phia ers on /aturda& night.

Durant was s,rat,hed from the *hunder0s win over 1oston on rida& with a sprained right

shou$der. Against the /iers Durant was one of the first *hunder to hit the ,ourt for pregame

warm-ups. He dun(ed severa$ times even hanging on the rim for severa$ se,onds after one

and was fit to p$a&.

4I hate sitting out4 Durant said 4but it was best for me and m& shou$der. I guess that da& off

was needed.4

Durant and the *hunder $et the /iers hang around before putting the finishing tou,hes on

their ninth straight win over Phi$ade$phia. *he /iers trimmed '($ahoma )it&0s $ead to four

in the third 5uarter before Durant (e&ed a !"-6 run to open up a ,omfortab$e $ead.

Durant the 71A0s $eading s,orer has s,ored at $east 3# points in his $ast !# games.

/erge Iba(a had 26 points and !! rebounds for the *hunder.

8ames Anderson $ed the /iers with !+ points. *haddeus 9oung had !3 points !# rebounds

and eight stea$s.

'($ahoma )it& has managed to sta& atop the :est with ;usse$$ :estbroo(  out sin,e

)hristmas re,overing from right (nee surger&. *he& entered the night with the best re,ord in

the :estern )onferen,e one-ha$f game ahead of the /an Antonio /purs.

:ithout Durant the *hunder sti$$ managed to beat 1oston !#!-<3 on rida& night. :ith him

the& had enough to pu$$ awa& from a p$u,(& /iers team that a$read& has wins over =iami

)hi,ago and Port$and this season.

4:e wi$$ do our best with some basi, things to guard him4 /iers ,oa,h 1rett 1rown said

 before the game.

Durant to&ed with the basi, defense and hard$& missed throwing down dun(s and (no,(ing

down eas& bu,(ets in the paint and $oo(ed ever& bit an A$$-/tar. Durant averaging 3<.2

 points over his $ast !2 games made !2 of ! shots for his fifth ,areer trip$e-doub$e.

'($ahoma )it& ,oa,h /,ott 1roo(s wat,hed from the base$ine when Durant warmed up.

Durant answered a series of 5uestions from the training staff after ever& few shots and was

soon $isted in the starting $ineup. *he /iers had one of their $argest ,rowds of the season and

the stands were dotted with fans in Durant %erse&s who sure$& wou$d have been ,rushed had

he not p$a&ed.

*he /iers must have wished he sat this one out.

4Ever&bod&0s s,ared be,ause he0s Kevin Durant and he s,ores in su,h a variet& of wa&s4

1rown said. 4He is the 71A0s hottest p$a&er. He0s a$wa&s been an in,redib$& diffi,u$t guard.

9ou b$in( and he0s got a trip$e-doub$e.4

8/13/2019 La Racha de Durant

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Durant san( his on$& 3 of the game from the top of the ar, over =i,hae$ )arter-:i$$iams for a

"3-3" $ead. )arter-:i$$iams had one of the few rough nights of his ste$$ar roo(ie season.

Iba(a stuffed him twi,e ear$& in the game setting an ear$& tone for '($ahoma )it&0s

toughness.

4)arter-:i$$iams he rea$$& doesn0t (now what /erge does4 Durant said.

He does (now.

/pen,er Hawes and the /iers f$irted with an upset after a big ra$$& in the third. Hawes hit a

3 had a big dun( over *habo /efo$osha and a f$oating %umper in su,,ession to he$p trim the

gap to +-6. Durant0s driving dun( put the *hunder ba,( on tra,( and en route to their fourth

win in five nights.

4:e don0t ma(e an e,use4 1roo(s said 4but it is tough. 1ut these gu&s the& step up ever&

night.4