LOS ANGELES (AP)– Kevin Durant scored 19 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter and the Oklahoma City Thunder sent the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers to a record-setting seventh straight home loss with a 107-103 victory on Thursday.
The Thunder have a 1?-game lead over Indiana for the NBA’s best record. Their 43-12 mark has equaled the best start in the franchise’s 47-year history.
Chris Kaman and Wesley Johnson scored 19 points apiece for Los Angeles, and Kendall Marshall added 14 points and 17 assists. The Lakers have lost 22 of their past 27 games and are tied with Sacramento for last place in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City is 20-7 without second-leading scorer Russell Westbrook, who hasn’t played since getting a triple-double on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden. Westbrook is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.
In Chicago, Taj Gibson scored 16 points and Carlos Boozer returned from an injury to add 15 in Chicago’s 92-76 victory over Brooklyn.
Boozer missed the three previous games because of a strained left calf.
Joakim Noah had 14 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth straight double-double. The Bulls (27-25) moved two games above .500 for the first time since they were 6-4 on Nov. 21. They have won four of five.
Paul Pierce led Brooklyn with 15 points in the teams’ final game before the All-Star break. The Nets are 24-27, going 14-6 since Jan. 1.