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 Things are going so well for the Western Conference power, even
their bad news isn't so bad.
Durant missed the second half of the Thunder's 114-109 loss to the
Golden State Warriors with a sprained right ankle, but he insisted
the injury is nothing serious.
"I wanted to play, but we want to be cautious," Durant said after
the game. X-rays taken at halftime were negative.
Durant already had 30 points before he charged into Warriors backup
center Marreese Speights on a drive to the hoop with 2.4 seconds
remaining in the second period. Durant's right foot landed on
Speights' foot in the collision, causing Durant's ankle to roll.
After more than a minute on the floor, Durant was helped to the
bench, then limped on his own power to the locker room for halftime.
He did not return to the bench for the second half.
"(The Thunder medical staff) had to convince me not to play," Durant
said.
Early indication is the injury is not related to the fractured right
foot Durant sustained during the offseason. He was playing in his
ninth game since making his season debut Dec. 2.
 Durant wouldn't rule himself out for Friday's trip finale in Los
Angeles against the Lakers.
The Thunder won't take a winning streak into Friday's game, thanks
in large part to Warriors standout Stephen Curry. The point guard
scored six of his game-high 34 points after Oklahoma City took a
one-point lead with 2:59 to play, lifting Golden State to the narrow
win.
The Warriors (22-3) were playing their first game since their
franchise-record, 16-game losing streak ended Tuesday with a road
loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Asked if Thursday's win could start the Warriors on another winning
streak, Curry responded, "I hope so. I mean, why not? We came back
strong after our 16-game one was over and protected our home court.
We've got a long season, so it could happen."
Curry's jumper with 2:41 to go gave the Warriors the lead for good
and propelled them to their seventh consecutive home win.
The Thunder (12-14) fell despite getting 33 points and eight assists
from point guard Russell Westbrook.
"Scotty (Brooks, the Thunder coach) said it will be a fourth-quarter
game," Westbrook said. "It's not fun if you don't win."
Durant had 16 points, including three 3-pointers and a three-point
play, in 30-13, game-opening flurry by the Thunder, which had won
nine of 10 since losing at home to Golden State on Nov. 23.
However, the Warriors rallied into the lead before halftime, using
nine- and eight-point runs in the second period to go up 60-52 with
3:26 left in the half.
Golden State then held the lead until Westbrook scored 11
consecutive Thunder points, the final two coming on a jumper with
2:59 to go that pushed the visitors in front 105-104.
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Curry countered with three hoops, and Warriors forwards Draymond
Green and Harrison Barnes added key baskets as Golden State
outfinished Oklahoma City for its 100th all-time win against the
Thunder franchise.
"To be 22-3 is incredible," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "I
couldn't have imagined this start."
Durant finished 10-for-13 from the field, 5-for-6 from 3-point range
and 5-for-7 from the free-throw line to accumulate his 30 points in
19 minutes. He became the first player since the ABA-NBA merger to
score as many as 30 points in as few as 19 minutes.
"If you have any suggestions (on how to guard Durant), I'm open,"
Kerr said. "He's unguardable when he gets that shot going."
Durant also found time for two rebounds, two assists and a blocked
shot.
Shooting guard Klay Thompson had 19 points for the Warriors, ending
a streak of eight consecutive games with at least 20 points.
Green finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and
Barnes chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors, who
improved to 9-1 at home.
Thunder shooting guard Andre Roberson had 10 points and a game-high
12 rebounds.
NOTES: The 30-point effort by Thunder SF Kevin Durant was his first
of the season. ... No Warriors opponent has shot 50 percent from the
field this season. The Thunder were at 51.5 percent through three
periods, then were held to 7-for-20 shooting (35 percent) in the
fourth quarter to finish at 47.7 percent. ... The Warriors announced
before the game that an MRI on C Andrew Bogut's injured right knee
revealed a condition called chondromalacia and bone edema. Bogut
chose to take a platelet-rich plasma injection in an effort to speed
up the healing process. He remains out indefinitely, although
Warriors coach Steve Kerr reported, "Looks like it will keep him out
the next couple of weeks." ... Kerr also announced PF David Lee, who
missed 24 of the Warriors' first 25 games because of a strained left
hamstring, is expected to scrimmage with the team this weekend in
hopes of returning to game action Monday against the Sacramento
Kings.
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