Thunder, Pacers advance with Game 7 victories

Kevin Durant scored 33 points, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 120-109, on Saturday night in Game 7 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Westbrook had 27 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds. His assist total tied the franchise record for a playoff game set in 1987 by Nate McMillan when the team was still in Seattle.

The gritty Grizzlies, playing without leading scorer Zach Randolph because of a suspension, led by 11 points in the first half before the Thunder overwhelmed them and shot 66% after the break.

Marc Gasol led Memphis with 24 points. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley had 20 points and nine assists while playing with a strained right hamstring.

It was Westbrook’s second triple-double in the last three games. He made 10 of 16 shots from the field, both of his three-pointers and five of his six free throws.

Durant, slowed for much of the series, looked like his normal self. The regular-season scoring champion made 12 of 18 field goals and all five of his three-pointers after struggling from long range throughout the series.

Guards Tony Allen and Mike Miller started for the first time in the series in place of Randolph and Tayshaun Prince, and the Grizzlies beat the Thunder at their fast-paced game in the first quarter. Memphis shot 60% in the opening period to take a 36-27 lead.

at Indiana 92, Atlanta 80: Paul George scored a playoff career-high 30 points and Roy Hibbert finally came up big to lead the Pacers past the Hawks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference playoff series.

Indiana staved off elimination for the second time in three days. It’s the first time since mid-March the Pacers’ regular starters have won back-to-back games.

Instead of becoming the sixth top-seeded team to lose in the first round of the current 16-team playoff format, the Pacers will be back on their home floor Monday night against Washington in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Kyle Korver scored 19 points and Jeff Teague had 16 for Atlanta, which won just 38 games in the regular season but proved to be a tough opponent for the Pacers.