Sports

Durant game-winner lifts Thunder past Mavs, 99-98

Posted: 2:37 PM Apr 29, 2012
Reporter: Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Kevin Durant scored 25 points and hit the game-winning jumper from the foul line with 1.5 seconds left to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 99-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Durant maneuvered to the free throw line and got off a high-arcing shot that hit off the front of the rim and then off the backboard before falling through.

The defending NBA champion Mavericks, who were out of timeouts, could not get a shot off before the buzzer.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 11 of his 25 points in the final 5 minutes and hit two free throws with 9 seconds left to put Dallas ahead.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 28 points.