Kevin Durant scored a career-best 51 points in the top individual performance in the NBA this season as Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 124-118 in overtime on Sunday.

Durant hit a three-pointer and drove for a dunk to tie the game with 4.4 seconds left in regulation time, then used the extra period to chalk up the first 50-point game of the two-time scoring champion’s career.

Russell Westbrook added 40 and Serge Ibaka had 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks to become the 14th player in franchise history with a triple-double.

Meanwhile Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks rebounded from the first loss of the point guard’s magical run to defeat the defending champions Dallas Mavericks 104-97 at Madison Square Garden.

Just two days after committing a season-high nine turnovers in a loss to New Orleans, 23-year-old Lin finished with at team-high 28 points, 14 assists and five steals.

Centre Tyson Chandler finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and shooting guard JR Smith had 15 points in his first start of the season for the Knicks.

Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 34 points for the Mavericks, who had been playing championship-level defence but became the latest team who couldn’t stop Lin.

At Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 27 points, and LeBron James had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, as NBA-leading Miami beat Orlando 90-78 for their sixth consecutive victory.

With former President Bill Clinton sitting courtside next to Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, Udonis Haslem scored 10 for the Heat, who improved to 25-7, a half-game better than Chicago for the best record in the NBA and Eastern Conference.

The 12-point final margin was Miami’s smallest during its current winning streak.

At Minneapolis, Kevin Love scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of free throws with 0.1 seconds left, to lead Minnesota 92-91 over Philadelphia.

Jared Dudley scored a season-high 25 points, and Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 15 rebounds as Phoenix held on to beat Los Angeles 102-90, ending a four-game losing streak.

Kobe Bryant scored 32 points but was 1 of 8 on 3-pointers and committed 10 turnovers, one short of his career worst.

Bryant later lashed out at Lakers management in a profanity-laced monologue for leaving team-mate Pau Gasol wondering whether he’s about to be traded.

In other matches, Detroit beat Boston 96-81, Indiana thumped Charlotte 108-73 and Cleveland downed Sacramento 93-92.

Houston fought off a late run by Utah to win 101-85 while Milwaukee snapped a four-game losing streak to beat New Jersey 92-85.