Kevin Durant didn't just score a season high in points on Saturday. He took over when his team needed him most.
Thunder’s Kevin Durant scores 48, hits game-winner against Timberwolves
Kevin Durant went off for a season high in points on Saturday, 23 of them coming in the fourth quarter.
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WIth the Thunder trailing by 10 entering the fourth quarter, Durant took matters into his own hands, tallying 23 of his 48 points in the final 12 minutes. He scored four points in the last four seconds of the game, including what turned out to be the game winner:
Three seconds later, following a wild series of events involving Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Love, Durant hit two free throws to cap his scoring and give the Thunder a 115-111 win.
Durant fell just short of his career high of 52 points, which he reached on Jan. 18, 2013 in Dallas.
The Thunder forward did his damage on 16-for-32 shooting in a team-high 43 minutes. See his outburst from the field for yourself, if you can. When you hit 16 shots, it could be tough to see all of the makes on one chart:
If you couldn’t tell, he shot 4-for-9 from three. For good measure, he decided to shoot 12-of-13 from the line. His seven assists and seven rebounds didn’t hurt either.
Durant's 48 is the most from any player in 2013-14, and for a while it looked like he could hit 50. As Tom Ziller pointed out, that feat has become a rarity in the NBA. Before Durant's outburst, Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony shared the distinction for most points scored in a game this season with 45.
Saturday was the second time this year that Durant scored more than 40 points. He dropped 42 in Oklahoma City’s season opener against Utah.
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