OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant drained three 3-pointers in 75 seconds. [url=https://www.cheapshoesblackfriday.com/]Discount Shoes Black Friday[/url] . And when the crowd wanted even more, the NBAs leading scorer responded. Durant poured in a career-high 54 points in an incredibly efficient performance

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant drained three 3-pointers in 75 seconds. Discount Shoes Black Friday . And when the crowd wanted even more, the NBAs leading scorer responded. Durant poured in a career-high 54 points in an incredibly efficient performance, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors 127-121 on Friday night. The 6-foot-9 forward had 11 points during one two-minute stretch in the fourth quarter, powering the Thunder to a 17-point lead. With the crowd of 18,203 chanting "MVP! MVP!" he made two foul shots with 2:45 remaining to establish a new career-best scoring total. "When youve got it going, I look at the bench and see how my teammates are reacting, and that just gives me an extra push," Durant said. "Then, I hear the fans." Durant made 19 of 28 field goals and 11 of 13 free throws in his third straight game with at least 36 points. "As a leader, my main objective is to serve my teammates, help them out," he said. "Some nights, Ive got to put it up, Ive got to score. Some nights, Ive got to do other things. Tonight, they found me and I was able to hit a few shots. I just tried to do as best as I can to lead the team and lead us to victory." It was the kind of performance that gets fans fired up about post-season awards in mid-January. "Its premature," Durant said. "Its way too early in the season. I try not to think about that type of stuff. Of course, as a player, youd love to win an MVP award, but I cant take my focus off the team. Every day, Ive just got to keep chipping away, keep enjoying the process, and well see what happens." Serge Ibaka had 21 points and eight rebounds, Reggie Jackson scored 14 points and Kendrick Perkins added 12 rebounds for the Thunder (30-10), who won for the third time in four games. Oklahoma City shot 58 per cent from the field and scored a season-high point total. Stephen Curry had 37 points and 11 assists, and Klay Thompson added 26 points for the Warriors (25-16), who shot 52 per cent but simply couldnt match up with Durant. "We battled him for the most part, and he got hot in the fourth and knocked down some big shots for them," Warriors centre Andrew Bogut said. "Theres a reason why hes a perennial All-Star and future Hall of Famer, and possibly MVP this year." Golden State coach Mark Jackson was disappointed with his teams defence. "Were a good enough defensive team to give a little better effort, fight a little bit harder," Jackson said. Oklahoma City led 39-32 at the end of the first quarter after shooting 78.3 per cent from the field. It had a 71-65 advantage at the break after a season high for points in a half for the Thunder. Curry had 22 points and eight assists in the first half and Thompson scored 21 points before the break. The Warriors made 10 of 16 3-pointers in the first half to stay in the game. Andre Iguodala scored his first points of the game on a steal and dunk that cut Oklahoma Citys lead to 82-79 midway through the third, but the Thunder steadily pulled away the rest of the period. A mid-range jumper by Durant pushed Oklahoma Citys advantage to 96-86, and the Thunder led 101-91 heading into the final quarter. Durant then closed by scoring 15 points in the fourth. "You let a guy like KD, he leads the league in scoring, start off the game as hot as he did . It was tough to start off the game like that and then try to get stops against a dynamic scorer like that, especially when hes hitting everything," Curry said. Durant gave his teammates credit. "Its the small things that go into a game to help us win, and everybody did them tonight," he said. NOTES: The previous two meetings between the Thunder and Warriors were decided by last-second shots. In the first game on Nov. 14, Iguodala hit a fallaway game-winning jumper for Golden State. In the second game, on Nov. 29, Russell Westbrook hit the game-winner in overtime. ... Golden State G Jordan Crawford played for the first time since being acquired from Boston in a three-team trade. He finished with eight points in 15 minutes. ... Former UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture attended the game. ---- China Shoes Black Friday . Not sure yet. #livetweetingthegreatuntangle — Strombone (@strombone1) April 17, 2014 Stage three, coping: I feel like I could use a cigarette or something. Buy Shoes Black Friday . Not sure yet. #livetweetingthegreatuntangle — Strombone (@strombone1) April 17, 2014 Stage three, coping: I feel like I could use a cigarette or something. https://www.cheapshoesblackfriday.com/ . The 49ers, 6-2 and riding a five-game winning streak following the bye week, also waived cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and activated cornerback Eric Wright from the reserve/non-football injury list. Manningham made 42 receptions for 449 yards and one touchdown in 12 games and 10 starts last season before injuring his left knee in a loss at Seattle Dec. PHILADELPHIA -- Cole Hamels used an amped-up fastball in his latest dominant performance. Hamels pitched eight strong innings and Chase Utley had a tiebreaking RBI single in the fifth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. Hamels (5-5) got the better of Tim Hudson in a matchup between starters who have combined for seven All-Star appearances. The Philadelphia left-hander gave up six hits while striking out 10 and walking one. More noted for his changeup, Hamels has found an extra gear for his fastball over his last two starts. After using it to shut down Atlanta in a 2-1 win last Saturday, Hamels frequently featured a heater that again touched the mid-90s. "Hes really gone with his fastball to set up his other pitches," Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Hes got everything behind him. Hes feeling very good; hes feeling strong." Added Hamels: "Everything was coming out the right way. I wasnt having to put as much effort into each pitch." Hudson (8-7) gave up two runs in six innings although both were unearned. The right-hander struck out six and walked two. "Youre hoping your guy gives you a chance, and thats what (Hudson) did," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "He pitched great." The Giants, who were looking for their first four-game sweep in Philadelphia since 1998, lost for just the second time in eight games. San Franciscos lead over the idle Dodgers in the NL West dropped to 1 1/2 games entering this weekends three-game series between the rivals at AT&T Park. Despite the defeat, the Giants return home feeling positive after a 5-2 road trip. "Thats a really good road trip," Bochy said. "Weve got a big series ahead of us. Its going to be a good, exciting series. Its what you play for." Utley, Marlon Byrd and Wil Nieves had a pair of hits for Philadelphia, which snapped its four-game losing streak while winning for just the second time in nine games. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 24th save in 27 opportunities to stop a rocky stretch. Papelbon blew his third save in Tuesdays 9-6, 14-inning defeat and took the loss in Wednesdays 3-1 loss. He was booed upon entering the field and then again when he was introduced by PA announcer Dan Baker. Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 inning to tie Goose Gossage for 21st place on the all-time save list with career save No. 310. Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard wasnt in the lineup for the second straight day as Sandberg has decided to look elsewhere to find production from first base. Howard has been in a power drought with just one homer since June 19 and his .224 average, .377 slugging percentage and .682 on-base plus slugging mark are well off his usual production. The movee was eye-opening considering the three-time All-Star and former MVPs dominance against Hudson, against whom he has batted . Shoes Black Friday Deals 2020. 328 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 67 career at-bats. Howards replacement, Darin Ruf, went 1-for-4 with a strikeout. "I wanted to see (Ruf) play for a couple of games, get him some at-bats and basically go from there," Sandberg said. "Well continue to watch." Sandberg met with Howard prior to the game, and Howard said he wanted to be in the lineup. But the manager made no promises, adding that a platoon with the right-handed hitting Ruf was possible. "If he has trouble against left-handed pitching and Darin Ruf is swinging it, that becomes an option," Sandberg said. "If (a platoon) becomes the scenario and both guys are going well, thats a good scenario." The Phillies got some help on both of their runs off of Hudson. In the first, Jimmy Rollins hit a one-out double, went to third on a passed ball and scored on Byrds single to left. San Francisco tied the game in the fifth on Ehire Adrianzas RBI single to centre. Philadelphia got some more good fortune in the bottom of the frame as Ben Revere opened the inning with a medium flyball to left. Michael Morse charged hard but couldnt come up with the grab and the error allowed Revere to reach second. Revere scored on Utleys single to centre. Hamels went at least seven innings for the 13th time in the last 15 starts and gave up three runs or less for the 11th consecutive outing. The left-hander reached double-digits in strikeouts for the fourth time this season and 27th in his career. Hamels cooled off Hunter Pence, who went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Pence entered batting .412 with a homer and six RBIs in the series, including the game-winning double in Wednesdays 3-1 Giants victory. "I dont ever recall his fastball being as good as it was today," Hudson said. Nieves came up limping after moving awkwardly to block a fourth-inning pitch to Adam Duvall but stayed in the game. Nieves was activated Monday after spending a month on the DL with a strained right quad. NOTES: Adrianza strained his right hamstring running the bases in the fifth inning. Bochy said hell be evaluated further on Friday. ... The Giants open a pivotal three-game series at home against the rival Dodgers on Friday with San Francisco right-hander Tim Lincecum (9-6, 3.68) opposing Los Angeles right-hander Zack Greinke (11-6, 2.90). . Philadelphia hosts Arizona for a three-game set that begins Friday when Diamondbacks lefty Wade Miley (6-6, 4.16) takes on Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick (4-10, 4.87). . The Giants last swept a four-game series against the Phillies Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 1999, and last did it in Philadelphia July 31-Aug. 3, 1998. ' ' '