OAKLAND – Even as he was surrounded by drama and intrigue for two full days, Kevin Durant kept saying to anyone willing to listen that he would let his play speak on his behalf.
Wow, did it. Loudly and repeatedly, much to the joy of the sellout crowd (19,596) Thursday night at Oracle Arena.
Durant scored a season-high 39 points to lift the Warriors to a 122-96 rout of Oklahoma City, the team with which he spent the first nine seasons of his career.
Stephen Curry put in 21 points and Klay Thompson added 18 as the Warriors put on their most impressive display of the season, extending their win streak to four while handing OKC its first loss.
The Warriors (4-1) shot 51.1 percent from the field and held the Thunder to 40.2 percent.
As for the much-anticipated battle between ex-teammates Russell Westbrook and Durant, it wasn’t much of a contest. Westbrook totaled a season-low 20 points on 4-of-15 shooting from the field.
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STANDOUT PERFORMER
Scoring in 29 points in the half and coasting in the second, Durant danced and danced and kept on dancing until his feet hurt.
Durant’s line: 39 points (15-of-24 from the field 7-of-11 from deep), seven rebounds, one assist and one block. He played 31 minutes and finished plus-21 for the game.
TURNING POINT
After a Jerami Grant dunk, followed by his trash-talking Durant, gave OKC a 29-19 lead with three minutes left in the first period, the Warriors responded with a 24-5 run to take a 34-34 lead with 8:41 left in the second quarter.
Durant scored 15 of those 24 points – in less than four minutes.
The Warriors led by as much as 31 points and the Thunder never got closer than 23 in the second half.
INJURY UPDATE
Warriors: G Pat McCaw (L ankle sprain) is listed as doubtful. C Damian Jones (R pectoral recovery) is listed as out.
Thunder: G Cameron Payne (R foot fracture) is listed as out.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Warriors late Thursday night left for Los Angeles, where on Friday night they will face the Lakers at Staples Center.
