San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) - Kevin Durant scored 25 points and missed just two of his 15 free throw attempts, as Oklahoma City held on for a 101-98 win over the Spurs.
San Antonio got back the services of forward Tim Duncan and guard Tony Parker, but lost to the Thunder for the third time in the last four meetings. Both players were out the previous two games with ankle injuries. Duncan had 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Parker scored 17 as San Antonio had its two-game win streak broken.
Jeff Green posted 21 points and 10 boards for the Thunder, who have won two in a row. Russell Westbrook added 19 points and 11 assists in the victory.
The Spurs trailed by as many as nine in the final quarter, but they managed to cut the deficit to one, the last time at 91-90 following Parker's jumper with 3:39 left.
Westbrook countered with a pair of free throws and the visitors built their lead to six with under a minute left.
A tip-in by Antonio McDyess had the Spurs within 100-98 with 2.7 seconds remaining, but Westbrook sank 1-of-2 from the charity stripe. Parker's prayer shot from just inside half-court was off the mark.
The teams were tied at 25 after the first quarter, but the Spurs got the upperhand in the second, using a 16-2 run to grab a 46-36 advantage. They were in front 53-46 at the half.
The Thunder turned it around in the third quarter when they shot 15-of-24 from the field and held a 32-21 scoring edge. James Harden's dunk in the closing seconds provided the four-point lead heading to the final quarter.
Game Notes
George Hill had 18 points for the Spurs, who also got 10 from McDyess...Nenad Krstic scored 11 for the Thunder...San Antonio went 3-of-18 from three-point range...The Thunder franchise won for just the third time in its last 13 trips to San Antonio.