Bucks led by as many as eight points in first quarter, but ultimately fell to OKC Thunder 131-123

OKLAHOMA CITY — Russell Westbrook scored 27 points and Kevin Durant added 26 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 131-123 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, December 29th.


Enes Kanter added 23 while rookie Cameron Payne had a career-high 16 for the Thunder.

Westbrook and Durant both scored more than 20 points for the 25th time this season as Oklahoma City overcame an early eight-point deficit to win for the 11th time in its last 14 games.

Milwaukee jumped ahead on the outside shooting of Khris Middleton and led by as many as eight in the first quarter before the Thunder went on a 7-0 run to end the period. Payne hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to pull Oklahoma City within 31-30.

Kanter led a run midway through the second period to give the Thunder (22-10) the lead for good, scoring back-to-back baskets to put them up by three and they expanded it to 11 at halftime, 65-54.