Historical Context Of Westbrook And Durant's 77-Point Night

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook dominated the Suns on Monday with 77 combined points, the best by a pair of teammates in the NBA this season. But who did it last?

Tuesday, January 15th 2013, 10:28 pm

By: News 9


Anyone watching Monday night's Thunder victory against the Suns knew they were watching something special.

Without Serge Ibaka and on the tail end of a back-to-back on the road, Oklahoma City had a stiff challenge awaiting it against Phoenix – and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook put in work.

The dynamic duo scored 47 of the team's 51 second-half points and would have likely had every fourth-quarter point if not for a Hasheem Thabeet basket in garbage time after KD and Russ had relocated to the bench with the victory in hand.

The second half was a tour de force from the Thunder superstars, propelling OKC to its fourth straight victory.

All in all, Durant and Westbrook combined for 77 points in the 102-90 victory on Monday as the Thunder became the first team in the NBA to reach 30 victories this season.

It was the highest scoring output by two teammates on the same night in the league this season. That got us to thinking, when was the last time two teammates combined for 77 or more in a non-overtime game?

As it turns out, you don't need to look any further than KD and Russ. The two combined for 78 last season in a 115-110 victory at Minnesota on April 14, 2012. Durant had 45 points and Westbrook chipped in 35 in Minneapolis.

But, courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau, with Westbrook's 36 and KD's 41 against the Suns, they became the first pair of teammates to go for 36 or more points on the same night in a non-overtime game since Nov. 29, 2008, when the Knicks' David Lee (37) and Al Harrington (36) pulled it off against the Warriors.

The last time two players did that for the Thunder they weren't anywhere near relocating to Oklahoma City. Lonnie Shelton (37) and Gus Williams (36) did it for the Supersonics back on Jan. 22, 1982.

But what was has been the greatest game for Durant and Westbrook on the same night including overtime? Many of you will recall last season's epic clash with the Denver Nuggets.

Against Denver on Feb. 19, 2012, Durant dropped a career-high 51 points on 19-of-28 shooting, shot 5-of-6 from 3 and Westbrook chipped in a healthy 40 points on 16-of-29 shooting for a combined 91 points. And not to be forgotten, Ibaka had a triple-double with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks in the 124-118 overtime victory.

The 91 points that night was the most by a pair of teammates since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen went for 84 against the Pacers on Feb. 18, 1996.

Needless to say last night's 77-point output was impressive but somehow it only ranks third on the duo's all-time box-score-domination list.

And with the way these two All-Star teammates have been playing, there are surely more night's like these to come in the future.

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