Durant leads Thunder past Bucks, 114-101

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant scored 23 points in his first home game of the season, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Milwaukee Bucks 114-101 on Tuesday night.

Durant, the reigning MVP, missed the first 17 games with a broken bone in his right foot, then played three road games before making his home debut. He shot 7 of 11, made all eight free throws and added nine rebounds and seven assists.

Russell Westbrook scored 28 points for the Thunder, who have won five of six after starting the season with a 3-12 record.

O.J. Mayo had 18 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 17 for the Bucks, who have lost five of six.

Durant missed his first two shots, but drained his third, a 3-pointer with 8:08 left in the first quarter. He took a break after scoring seven points in the first 4:51.

Westbrook's powerful one-handed putback on a missed 3-pointer by Reggie Jackson put the Thunder up 61-52 at halftime. Oklahoma City shot 60 percent in the second quarter after a sluggish first. Westbrook scored 18 points at the break and Durant had 13.

Durant gave the fans a bit of what they're used to early in the fourth quarter. He pulled in a defensive rebound, brought the ball upcourt, used a pick by Kendrick Perkins to get free, then threw down an easy two-handed slam that gave the Thunder a 93-82 lead.

Later, Durant hit a jumper, then found Serge Ibaka on a no-look bounce pass for a dunk that gave the Thunder a 103-88 lead. Durant sat for good with 3:36 remaining and the Thunder holding a 109-90 lead.

TIP-INS

Thunder: The Thunder were called for a clear path foul after Durant threw a poor pass that was intercepted, and Anthony Morrow had to foul to prevent an easy hoop in the closing seconds of the first quarter. ... Perkins was issued a technical foul with 8:56 left in the second quarter.

Bucks: Milwaukee shot 52 percent in the first quarter to take a 31-26 lead, but shot 36 percent the rest of the game. ... G Brandon Knight, the Bucks' leading scorer for the season with nearly 18 points per game, finished with nine points on 2-for-10 shooting.

UP NEXT

Bucks: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

Thunder: Host Cleveland on Thursday.