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Sports

Durant, Westbrook lead Thunder past Mavs

Associated Press
Published | Updated

DALLAS – Kevin Durant scored 28 points, Russell Westbrook had 15 points and nine assists and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 99-95 on Thursday night.

Jeff Green had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Serge Ibaka added with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Shawn Marion had a season-high 25 points for the Mavericks, who were without top scorer Dirk Nowitzki for a career-high sixth straight game with a sprained right knee. Tyson Chandler added 14 points and matched a season high with 18 rebounds. Jason Terry had 19 points for Dallas, 2-4 during Nowitzki's absence.

Nowitzki is day-to-day and there had been speculation that he might try to play against the Thunder. The nine-time All-Star, averaging 24.1 points, has been shooting at practices.

Dallas also is missing No. 3 scorer Caron Butler, out for the season with a torn tendon in his right knee.

The Mavericks won the first two matchups between the teams this season, both in Oklahoma City, in the series that concluded Thursday. Nowitzki was hurt in the second meeting Dec. 27.

Dallas was in front by 10 in the first half, but Oklahoma City opened the third quarter with an 11-4 run, capped by Green's 8-footer for a 62-59 edge.

Oklahoma City had a 73-70 advantage heading into the fourth quarter, and Durant's 3-pointer with 9:54 left extended the Thunder's lead to 78-71.

Durant stole the ball from Terry and went in for a dunk with 5:43 left to put his team ahead, 89-78.

Dallas was unable to get closer than four points the rest of the way.

The Mavericks held a 55-51 halftime lead behind Marion's 21 points. Marion was 10 for 12 from the field in the opening half while Dallas went 24 for 41 from the floor.

NOTES: Marion had 10 of Dallas' first 12 points and the Mavs made eight of the their first 10 shots from the field. ... The Thunder avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season. ... Nowitzki's previous career high for consecutive missed games was five in 2003-04.