PHILADELPHIA — Kevin Durant wasn’t feeling it in the first half, when he only scored eight points against the Philadelphia.
But the Thunder superstar got it going, scoring 29 the rest of the way for a game- and season-high 37 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder past the Sixers, 116-109 in overtime Saturday night.
Durant tallied 15 points in the third quarter to key a 35-point period for Scott Brooks’ Thunder.
“I was struggling early on,” Durant said with a smile. “Russ (Westbrook) kept us in the game, offensively.”
Westbrook scored 17 of his 30 points in the opening half.
“There were some open shots,” Westbrook said. “I just knocked them down with confidence.”
Oklahoma City shot 4-for-5 from 3-point range in overtime after going just 2-for-16 from downtown in regulation.
“I think they finally just started making shots,” said the Sixers’ Thaddeus Young, who had a season-high 29 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. “When you give a guy a lot of open looks, they’re going to eventually start knocking down shots.”
Brooks liked the way his players trusted each other on the floor.
“I thought both teams hit each other and both teams weren’t going to back down,” Brooks said. “It was good we got hot at the end.”
In what Sixers coach Doug Collins billed as the “Battle of UCLA” point guards before the game, Westbrook (30 points, nine assists, five rebounds) was the clear winner over Jrue Holiday (six points, 13 assists, three rebounds).
“It’s always fun playing against a former Bruin,” Holiday said. “Westbrook is one of the top guys in the league.”
The second half followed a pattern similar to the first in that the Thunder would take an eight- to 13-point lead and the Sixers would close the gap.
“We had them down 10 points like three times and they just kept fighting back,” Durant said. “They don’t ever give up. They’ve got a tough, tough team.”
Meanwhile, Collins raved about Durant.
“He’s a great player,” Collins said. “He hit some tough shots. That’s what great players do.”
Durant shot as many free throws as the Sixers (17). For the game, the Thunder attempted 37 free throws.
“It’s tough to guard the foul line,” Collins said.
The Thunder, who lost in Boston on Friday while the Sixers had been off since Wednesday, only scored 13 fourth-quarter points before recording 18 in the five-minute OT session.
“We’re having too many lapses,” said Oklahoma City reserve Nick Collison, who contributed 14 points and five rebounds. “We do things well and then we go away from those things. We have to be more consistent.”
NOTES: Sixers GM Tony DiLeo told reporters before the game that injured center Andrew Bynum will be out indefinitely and there is no timetable for his return. “We don’t know when he’ll be back,” DiLeo said. “Only Andrew can answer that question.” Bynum, who has bone bruises in both knees — the most recent of which (the left knee) occurred while bowling — had been projected to begin basketball-related activities on or around Dec. 10. He is expected to have another MRI on that date, which will help determine the next course of action. … Sixers starting guard Jason Richardson sprained his ankle and didn’t play in the final 29 minutes. He is listed as a game-time decision for Sunday night against the Suns. … The Thunder host the Bobcats Monday night. … The Sixers-Mavericks game Tuesday, which ends a stretch of eight home dates in nine games for Philadelphia, will be televised by NBA TV as the result of a fan vote.