2011 NBA Playoffs: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook Lower Boom in Game 1 Victory

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets were the final act of the 2011 NBA Playoffs' opening weekend, and they didn't disappoint. 

In fact, the NBA saved its best for last. 

Kevin Durant scored 41 points and Russell Westbrook put in 31 to lead the Thunder to a 107-103 come-from-behind victory in Game 1 of this Western Conference first-round series.

The game was played at a breakneck pace from the opening minute, and both teams were spectacularly efficient offensively, which is to be expected from two of the league's finest scoring juggernauts. 

There were highlights aplenty, but this night was about two young, budding superstars doing exactly what they are expected to do. Westbrook and Durant combined to score 72 of Oklahoma City's 107 points and they took turns carrying the team.

In the first half, it was Westbrook doing everything he could to keep Denver from running the Thunder out of their own building. The Nuggets stormed out of the gate hitting their first seven shots, and they led 33-20 with about a minute to play in the first quarter. 

Durant was passive early, settling for too many jumpers, and Oklahoma City's offense was out of sorts.

Except for Westbrook.

He had 11 points in the first and 10 more in the second quarter, including a steal that led to a breakaway dunk just seconds before the halftime buzzer, cutting the deficit to one heading into the locker room. 

With that, Westbrook handed the keys over to Durant, who finally began playing like the unstoppable force that he is. He scored 25 of his game-high 41 in the second half, getting his points in a variety of ways.

The lanky swingman started the half with a long two. Then he buried a three in the face of Wilson Chandler, who had blocked his jumper the possession before. Next, he completed a three-point play the old fashion way by driving through three Nugget defenders and finishing at the rim.

Durant would hit two more threes, one from the parking lot, and both touched nothing but net. What stood out the most, however, was how he finished the third quarter.

Eight seconds remained in the frame and Durant corralled a rebound off a missed free throw. Westbrook called for the ball. Durant waved him off.

He took a high ball screen at the top of the key, baited the Denver defense, and found Eric Maynor wide open for a three that tickled the twine, giving Oklahoma City an 86-82 lead heading into the last 12 minutes.

For the quarter, Durant scored 14 points, and he would add 11 more in a tightly contested final stanza, but the points aren't the point. Durant took a giant step by taking ownership of his team and its predicament, which wasn't so good early on largely because its star was sitting in the corner curled up in a ball. 

That's what everyone wanted to see from Durant this spring. He struggled in his playoff debut last year, and understandably so. The Thunder were young, inexperienced and undermanned against the eventual-champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Durant was the focus and he couldn't take the heat, shooting just 35 percent in the six-game series.

Sunday night was no different. The double- and triple-teams were there, but this time Durant rose to the challenge and answered everything the Nuggets threw at him. 

Speaking of the Nuggets, they only have themselves to blame for losing this one. George Karl and his players will probably place some of the burden on the officials for missing a blatant offensive goal tend by Kendrick Perkins on a Westbrook shot that gave Oklahoma City a one-point lead with 50 seconds to play.

If they make that call, the result may have been different. But what about the 12 missed free throws or the 11 turnovers that led to 15 Thunder points? 

You can't do that on the road in the playoffs. Yes, the refs blew the call, but if you convert even half the freebies you missed, that call is a moot point.

Denver has thrived since the trade deadline, and it's capable of winning this series. While watching the Thunder's two stars finish a pivotal Game 1 victory, one couldn't help but notice how much the Nuggets missed having Carmelo Anthony in the waning moments.

Oklahoma City has a pair of aces. Denver doesn't.

And that's why the Thunder hold all the cards heading into Game 2.