Basketball: Kevin Durant matches Michael Jordan's streak, but Thunder lose

HOUSTON (AFP) - Kevin Durant notched his 40th straight National Basketball Association game with 25 points or more on Friday, but it wasn't enough for his Oklahoma City Thunder team to hold off the Houston Rockets.

Houston's James Harden scored 39 points, grabbed nine rebounds and handed out seven assists to lead the Rockets to a 111-107 victory that secured their post-season berth.

Durant scored 28 points for the playoff-bound Thunder, matching Michael Jordan's streak of 40 straight games of 25 points or more in the 1986/1987 season. He also pulled down 12 rebounds and passed out six assists, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final minute.

The Thunder forward, who will certainly figure in Most Valuable Player voting, can surpass Jordan's streak on Sunday when the Thunder face the Phoenix Suns.

Durant last failed to score at least 25 points on January 5 against the Boston Celtics, when he settled for 21 points. His rare run has included a 54-point game against the Golden State Warriors on Jan 17, and over the course of the steak has averaged 36.3 points per game.

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