There’s only one reasonable explanation for Kevin Durant’s display in Manchester last night. He couldn’t countenance losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in a pre-season game. The Oklahoma City Thunder star recorded a double-double, with 21 points and 12 assists as well as 8 rebounds, but it was his scoring outburst in the third quarter that jumped out. Durant scored 14 points in the third frame as the Thunder turned a 3 point deficit at the break into a 9 point lead going into the fourth. With Durant sitting, OKC saw the lead slip away quickly as Tony Wroten put in an impressive display off the bench for the Sixers with 20 points.
Philly sat Germany’s Tim Ohlbrecht but fans in Manchester were treated to a double-double by the Thunder’s Spanish international Serge Ibaka who had 11 rebounds and 3 blocks to go along with his 18 points. Switzerland’s Thabo Sefolosha picked up 4 rebounds and 2 assists in his 9 minutes off the bench as the Thunder held on for a 103-99 win to finish their European tour unbeaten.
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