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Durant hits game-winner to push Thunder past T-Wolves

Jan 27, 2011 - 4:49 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Kevin Durant topped off a career night by making the go-ahead jumper with 28.3 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 118-117.

Durant tied a career high with 47 points and pulled down a career-best 18 rebounds for the Thunder, who have won two of three. Jeff Green tallied 19 points and eight boards for Oklahoma City, which got 16 points and eight assists from Russell Westbrook.

Kevin Love recorded his 31st straight double-double with 31 points and 21 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost five in a row and 10 of 11 overall. Michael Beasley added 30 points, nine caroms and seven assists in defeat.

Durant's jumper with 52.3 seconds left in regulation put the Thunder ahead by one, 106-105. Corey Brewer responded with a putback layup at the other end to put Minnesota ahead.

"When you have a guy like Durant, how do you stop a guy shooting right over you?" Love said. "Those types of players are once-a-generation type of players. That's a type of a guy you've never seen before. You look at a guy like that and you wonder how are you going to stop him."

The back-and-forth battle continued following makes from Westbrook and Luke Ridnour. After Durant missed a jumper, Ridnour made 1-of-2 from the line to give the Timberwolves a 110-108 edge with 12.2 ticks remaining.

Green tied the game with a runner in the lane with 4.3 seconds to go. Love's missed jumper at the other end sent the game into overtime.

Beasley's jumper with 46.3 seconds remaining in OT tied the contest at 116-116. Durant then came up huge for the Thunder by making the go-ahead step back jumper with 28.3 ticks to go.

With a chance to tie the game, Beasley missed a 17-foot jumper. Love grabbed the rebound, missed a short jumper and went flying hard to the ground. A mad scramble for the ball led to a foul. Brewer made the first of two free throws with 7.6 seconds left to make it a one-point contest. He missed the second foul shot, but Wesley Johnson grabbed a key offensive rebound. Ridnour tried to win the game with a three-pointer but was off the mark.

"It was fun," Durant said. "It was fun to be a part of. They made some big plays and we made some big plays. It was a scrappy game. It's one of those games the fans hate to see end."

Minnesota led 28-25 after 12 minutes of action and took a 56-54 edge into the locker room.

The Thunder ended the third quarter on a 10-3 run, all from Durant, and his three-pointer gave Oklahoma City an 83-79 margin heading to the fourth.

Game Notes:

Oklahoma City has beaten Minnesota three times already this season and has won eight straight and 15 of the past 18 matchups in this series. The Thunder are also unbeaten in their previous five trips to the Twin Cities...The Thunder made 26-of-27 from the foul line, while the Timberwolves went 18-of-25 from the charity stripe...Ridnour ended with 12 points and eight assists.