Durant Drops 36 As Thunder Beats Spurs, Takes Lead In West

Kevin Durant scored 36 points to lead the Thunder to a 111-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs. 

It marks the ninth straight game of 30 or more points for Durant. 

Just one night after the Thunder passed Portland to take over the lead in the Northwest division, Oklahoma City (33-10) used Wednesday's win to move into sole posession of first place in the Western Conference. 

This thing was tight throughout.  Neither team would budge as the two championship-level squads exchanged buckets throughout the contest. 

But with two minutes to play, Durant rose up and buried a dagger into San Antonio, just as he did to Portland one night before. 

Leading 100-96, Durant stepped up and buried a 25-foot 3-pointer to give the Thunder a little cushion.  After Serge Ibaka and Tony Parker exchanged baskets, Durant took that dagger and twisted it. 

In what almost looked like an instant replay, Durant pulled up and drained a 3-ball from the top of the key, effectively ending the Spurs' hopes. 

Durant wasn't the only guy that stepped up for OKC.  Reggie Jackson tied his career high with 27 points on 12-17 shooting.  Jackson put on a scoring clinic early in the fourth quarter, scoring five straight Thunder baskets to shoulder the load and give Durant a breather.  Jackson also dished out eight assists and committed no turnovers.  

Ibaka finished with 14 points and nine rebounds while Derek Fisher and Jeremy Lamb each added nine points off the Thunder bench. 

Tony Parker was smokin' hot for San Antonio, finishing with 37 points on 14-22 shooting.  Boris Diaw and Tim Duncan eached chipped in 14 points while Marco Belinelli added 13. 

The Thunder committed 15 turnovers as a team, but 11 were Durant's.  OKC held a 38-30 rebound advantage. 

The Spurs fell to 32-10, one half game behind the Thunder.  OKC heads to Boston to face the rebuilding Celtics on Friday, then heads to Philadelphia on Saturday to play its fourth game in five nights.