NBA Recap Denver Nuggets vs Oklahoma City Thunder | December 27, 2015 | Highlights
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OKLAHOMA
CITY (AP)
Enes Kanter is listed at 6-foot-11 but is known as an "under-the-rim" player, teammate
Kevin Durant says.
He sure overpowered the
Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
Kanter,
Oklahoma City's backup center, scored 11 of his 21 points in a five-minute span that featured two powerful dunks that gave the
Thunder the momentum and helped lift them past the Nuggets, 122-112.
"I just want to help my team win," Kanter said. "It doesn't matter, off the bench, play one minute or 48. When I'm out there,
Coach tells me to bring energy and just go after rebounds and I'm just trying to do that."
Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, just missing what would have been his fourth triple-double of the season, as the Thunder rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit.
Durant recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 assists for the Thunder, who have won 10 of their last 12 games but were coming off a
Christmas Day loss at home to the
Chicago Bulls.
Oklahoma City shot a season-best 57.8 percent from the field. The Thunder trailed as late as the 8:13 mark of the fourth quarter before taking control with an 11-2 run. Kanter's tip-in of a miss by
Serge Ibaka put the Thunder ahead for good at 98-97 with 7:50 left.
Kanter then took a pass from
Westbrook and dunked over 6-foot-10
Nikola Jokic while being fouled. Kanter hit the ensuing free throw, then two more free throws with 6:38 left. His final dunk came with 4:33 left and made it 109-102. He also grabbed eight rebounds, five offensive.
"Kanter was their
MVP tonight," Nuggets coach
Michael Malone said. "He dominated us. Every time we play this team, he dominates us. We just have to get in the weight room and get a little bit stronger."
Kenneth Faried had 25 points and 11 points for the Nuggets, who have lost five of their last six games.
Denver has lost six straight trips to Oklahoma City.
"We didn't defend at all tonight,"
Malone said. "Our offense was terrific, but that is a losing proposition if you try to outscore the Thunder on their home court with the firepower they have
. . We left our defense in the locker room at halftime."
The Thunder started slowly for the second straight game and trailed 61-53 at halftime.
Kostas Papanikolaou's
3-pointer to start the second half extended Denver's lead to 11 points, but Westbrook and Durant fueled a 20-9 run that pulled Oklahoma City even at 73-all with 5:07 left in the third quarter.
Randy Foye gave the Nuggets their last lead at 97-96 with 8:13 left.
Will Barton scored 19 points and
Joffrey Lauvergne added 18 for Denver.