Durant powers Warriors past Thunder in Oakland

KEVIN Durant delivered 28 points and Stephen Curry finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds as the Golden State Warriors improved to 46-14 with a 112-80 win over Oklahoma City.

After a see-saw first half the defending league champions Warriors got in a groove, going on a 21-1 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to seize control and turn Saturday’s contest into a blowout in Oakland.

The Warriors also avenged a pair of losses to the Thunder in November and just before the NBA All-Star Game break earlier this month. “We’re champions. We’re 46-14 and we’ve got one of the best road records in the league,” Durant said.

Thunder star Paul George was held to just 5 points, while a struggling Carmelo Anthony scored only 14. Russell Westbrook led Oklahoma City with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

“He’s played at such a high level offensively for such a long time, a night like tonight’s going to happen,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said of George.

Oklahoma failed to reach 100 points for the first time in the last five games. The Thunder had scored at least 100 in 14 of their last 16.

Anthony’s frustration boiled over when he got into a testy exchange with the Warriors’ Draymond Green.

Green was given a technical foul — his 15th of the season — for swatting the head of Anthony who then threw his blue headband down on the court before engaging Green.

“I play with high emotion,” Green said. “I’ll continue to play with passion.”

Elsewhere in the NBA on Saturday, it was: 76ers 116, Magic 105 Celtics 121, Knicks 112; Heat 115, Grizzlies 89; Timberwolves 122, Bulls 104; Lakers 113, Kings 108; Jazz 97, Mavericks 90; Blazers 106, Suns 104