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Westbrook, Durant help Thunder spoil Corbin's debut

Dec 17, 2014 - 7:22 AM Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Russell Westbrook scored 32 points with seven assists to help the Oklahoma City Thunder to their seventh straight win, a 104-92 decision over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

Kevin Durant supplied 26 points and Anthony Morrow drained three 3-pointers en route to 10 points off the bench for the Thunder.

"Defensively, we have been locking down," Durant said. "If we want to win, we have to continue to do that."

The loss spoiled the Sacramento coaching debut of Tyrone Corbin, who was named interim coach of the Kings following Michael Malone's dismissal late Sunday night.

Malone was fired after guiding the Kings to an 11-13 record in just his second season at the helm.

"I learned a lot from (Malone). I'm very thankful to play for coach Malone," Kings center DeMarcus Cousins said of the coaching change. "At the end of the day, we know this is a business. Everything doesn't always work out the way we want them to. He's a great coach and I wish him nothing but the best."

Cousins missed his 10th straight game due to viral meningitis. Sacramento is 2-8 without him over that span.

Rudy Gay paced Sacramento, which has lost four straight, with 22 points to go along with six rebounds. Carl Landry netted 14 points in a reserve role.

Landry and Ryan Hollins each scored four points as part of a 13-2 run to open the fourth quarter. Landry capped the spurt with a jumper that gave the Kings their first lead of the game, 84-83, with 8:05 to play.

That lead was short lived, however.

Reggie Jackson converted a three-point play that jump-started a 9-0 burst that gave Oklahoma City a 94-86 edge. Durant's jumper in the closing minutes preceded Westbrook's layup that put the visitors up 12 and closed out their 12th consecutive victory over Sacramento.

Durant, who needed just three points for 15,000 in his career, knocked down a jumper to cap a 9-0 run to open the game for the Thunder. He became the second youngest to reach the 15,000-point plateau with the basket. LeBron James, the youngest to reach that mark, did so at 25 years, 79 days old.

Oklahoma City led by as many as 16 late in the opening frame, then Landry's basket brought the Kings within 34-20 after 12 minutes.

A 9-1 run by Sacramento midway through the second cut the deficit to four, but Durant's 3-pointer minutes later pushed the margin back to double digits. Serge Ibaka netted a pair of free throws for a 59-45 lead with 1:34 remaining. The Kings then ended the half on a 9-1 run that Gay capped with a driving dunk over the out-stretched arms of Ibaka, was fouled and hit the subsequent free throw to make it a 61-54 game at the break.

Sacramento trimmed the deficit to four on a couple of occasions early in the third, but the Thunder went on a 10-2 run and they led 81-71 after three quarters.

Game Notes

It took Durant 26 years, 78 days to reach 15,000 -- a span of 550 games ... Sacramento retired Peja Stojakovic's No. 16 at halftime. Stojakovic spent his first seven-plus seasons in the league with the Kings ... Corbin went 112-146 in three-plus seasons as coach of the Utah Jazz ... Steven Adams had a game-high 10 rebounds in the win ... Oklahoma City scored 26 points off 19 turnovers ... The Thunder had a 21-8 advantage on the fastbreak.