Durant, Thunder edge Grizzlies in 2nd round opener

Kevin Durant scored 12 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as Oklahoma City rallied for a 93-91 win over Memphis in the opener of their second round NBA playoff series. Durant delivered his team's final three baskets from the floor for the Thunder, including a go-ahead jump shot with 11.1 seconds remaining that gave the Thunder a 91-90 lead. Reggie Jackson made two free throws to stretch the lead to 93-90 with 2.9 seconds left. The Grizzlies' Quincy Pondexter still had a chance to tie the game from the free-throw line, but was unable to make all three of his foul shots with less than two seconds to play. Oklahoma City will host game two of the best-of-seven Western Conference series on Tuesday. The Thunder trailed by as many as 12 in the second half, but Durant -- second to Miami's LeBron James in the Most Valuable Player voting announced on Sunday -- kept them in it, finishing with game highs in points and in rebounds with 15 and assists with six. Kevin Martin came off the bench to score 25 points for the second straight game, after helping the Thunder oust the Houston Rockets in game six of their first-round series. Jackson finished with 12 points on four-of-eight shooting from the field. Memphis, who won four straight games to climb out of an 0-2 hole and eliminate the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round, had double-doubles from Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Spain's Gasol, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds -- but committed a costly turnover just after Durant had put the Thunder ahead with 11.1 seconds left. Randolph scored 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Both teams were playing on short rest, after wrapping up their first-round series on Friday. The Thunder had to do it on the road in Houston, while Memphis polished off the Clippers at home. The second Western Conference second-round series starts on Monday, when the San Antonio Spurs host the Golden State Warriors. Source: AFP