MILWAUKEE — Russell Westbrook scored 18 points, making two free throws with 7.3 seconds left to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to an 82-81 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.
The Thunder were again without NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant, who missed his second consecutive game with a sprained left ankle. Jeff Green was also on the sidelines for a fourth straight game — seventh overall — with a sprained left ankle.
James Harden made his second career start for Oklahoma a good one as he had season highs with 23 points, nine rebounds and six 3-pointers.
Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 25 points.
Trailing by 13 early in the third quarter, the Bucks rallied to cut the margin to one three times in the final two minutes, the last coming on Drew Gooden's follow shot that made it 82-81 with 1.2 seconds left.
Jennings fouled Eric Maynor, who missed both free throws. Andrew Bogut grabbed the last miss and flung it toward the Bucks' basket, but it fell short as the Thunder escaped with the victory.
Maynor scored 12 points and Westbrook added six assists as the Thunder won their fourth straight game.
Gooden had 16 points and a season-high 16 rebounds for the Bucks, who slipped three games under .500 with their third straight loss.
The Bucks came in with an NBA-worst 41.4 shooting percent and shot even worse, finishing the game at 37.7 percent. The Thunder made it closer than it might have been by shooting 37 percent and scoring their fewest points since a 92-83 loss to the Celtics on Nov. 7.
The Bucks chipped away at the Thunder's 13-point lead in third quarter and got within four on Jennings' driving layup, but Nick Collison hit a 17-foot jumper to send Oklahoma into the fourth quarter with a 62-56 lead.
NOTES: It was Durant' second game out since he missed seven straight in March 2009. ... The Thunder snapped a six-game losing streak to the Bucks at the Bradley Center, a streak that dates back to the franchise' Seattle days. ... Bucks F Carlos Delfino missed his fifth straight game with a neck sprain. No timetable has been set for his return.
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