MINNEAPOLIS (AP) At one stage during the fourth quarter , Minnesota Timberwolves discipline Rick Adelman ended up being and so needy that will quit Kevin Durant and also Russell Westbrook that they decide to put 6-foot-11 Anthony Randolph on that Oklahoma City Thunder's superstar place guard.
That, like pretty much everything else the actual Timberwolves and the other NBA have tried using this season, couldn't work, either.
Durant scored 43 details in addition to Westbrook had 35 and eight assists to stay the Thunder atop the actual Western Conference using a 115-110 victory in the Timberwolves upon Saturday night.
''I do not think most of us ever considered we'd end up being settling Randolph upon Westbrook from the fourth fraction plus whoever with Durant,'' Adelman said. ''We were making an attempt anything to find answers.''
Try again.
Durant scored 16 from the ultimate eight a matter of minutes for your Thunder (44-16), exactly who began the morning just one online game before Spurs - although strapped inside deprivation column - for your top seed within the West. After some sort of three-game burning off ability before this month, the particular Thunder have won four health of their final several games.
''We would like to succeed as often online games as we could taking towards grow with the season,'' Durant said. ''Hopefully most of us acquire (the No. a single seed). If not, we have now only have got to retain playing. We can't bother about that. We've simply obtained get worried about how exactly many of us can get improved each game.''
Anthony Randolph had twenty two points and also 11 rebounds plus Michael Beasley scored 26 for any Timberwolves, that shed their own ninth direct video game and also 25th from a line within April internet dating to 2009.
The Wolves ended up devoid of All-Star Kevin Love, who skipped his subsequent straight activity which has a concussion. J.J. Barea had twenty four tips along with 10 assists, although Minnesota not so great 12 free throws.
Barea's 3-pointer structure the actual debt to 112-110 with 13.8 a few moments to help play, but Westbrook iced the experience at the line, where the Thunder make 28 regarding 32 shots.
Serge Ibaka had eight points, 12 rebounds plus five hindrances and James Harden arrived from the one-game dearth owing to a sore suitable knee. He have scored half a dozen with 1-for-11 shooting.
The Wolves bought the Thunder most dress yourself in cope with of their primary two meetings, sacrificing 104-100 in the period opener in addition to 149-140 in a strong world famous two times overtime sport within Oklahoma City with March 23. But they will had Love in both of those people game titles and were unable likely to supply this mighty Thunder much difficulties on Saturday night time playing without Love, Ricky Rubio (knee) and Luke Ridnour (ankle).
The Thunder appeared being using control with your 10-0 run get started on thirdly quarter, but Beasley and also Randolph stored the plucky Wolves amongst players and Barea appeared a lot more such as the irritating pest who seem to made it easier for the Mavericks win the particular 7steps previous season.
Randolph converted a three-point play as well as pulled down some sort of jumper, Malcolm Lee possessed a three-point enjoy and Beasley hit a 15-footer in order to cut the actual bring on 91-90 by using 10 mins to help play.
''We're just in existence seeking to possibly be scrappy,'' Beasley said. ''Kevin will possibly not always be here to the rest on the season. That's 26 points, sometimes forty factors as well as 20 boards. Everybody has got to boost and we're wanting to complete this kind of year having a bang.''
Durant merely had a solution for each Wolves push. He blew by simply Anthony Tolliver for your dunk, pulled decrease your silky jump opportunity in the wing, scored on the back-down in the actual publish as well as drove previous Randolph intended for yet another bucket including a 105-97 steer along with just underneath some mins in order to go.
He possibly came upward huge on defense, pumping some sort of traveling breach by means of Randolph as well as poking the actual golf ball apart to generate a fast-break bucket with regard to Westbrook to keep that Wolves off.
''Sometimes I need not score, I may make a pass, nonetheless my own teammates does a fantastic position man,'' Durant said. ''Russell acquired that planning thirdly in addition to he sacrificed for me to receive some easy baskets.''
Westbrook seemed to be 12 associated with 25 through the floor, in addition to he's received many criticism with the level of shots he usually takes but not currently being more of any playmaking stage shield that makes his / her teammates, specifically Durant, much more involved. Adelman scoffed at which thinking before the game, saying ''everybody would not should be John Stockton.''
''If there're really along about him, he can appear more than here,'' Adelman deadpanned. ''I'll let him play.''
NOTES: It was Durant's fourth 40-point sport from the season. . The Wolves introduced a new group of 19,552, their 11th sellout with the season. That's one of the most considering some people traveled to the actual Western Conference finals in 2003-04. . Timberwolves G Wayne Ellington was effective once missing this former not one but two mmorpgs together with again spasms. He didn't play.
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