When they’re allowed to do it, it doesn’t take long for games to get out of hand.

Russell Westbrook and reserve James Harden each scored 24 points, Kevin Durant added 20 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Detroit Pistons 99-79 Monday night for their fourth straight blowout win at home.

The Thunder built up a 30-point lead midway through the second quarter and Detroit got no closer than 17 after the opening period.

Rookie Brandon Knight led Detroit with 13 points. Rodney Stuckey and Greg Monroe added 12 apiece.

The overmatched Pistons – last in the league in scoring, rebounding and turnovers committed – never stood a chance from the start. Ben Gordon missed his second straight game because of a sore left shoulder, and Will Bynum (foot) and Charlie Villanueva (ankle) also remained out.

Westbrook had a right-handed throwdown dunk and Durant got out in transition for a layup and a three-point play as the Thunder took control with a 9-0 run after Stuckey’s basket to open the game.

Oklahoma City was already up by 19 late in a first quarter in which Detroit missed 15-of-18 shots and got out-rebounded 16-6. The official stats credited the Thunder with 15 fast-break points but Pistons coach Lawrence Frank chalked up 21 of Oklahoma City’s 31 first-quarter points to transition play.

Oklahoma City’s starters had sat out all of the fourth quarter in the previous three games at Chesapeake Energy Arena and that streak was only stopped because Serge Ibaka replaced an injured Nick Collison with the rest of the backups for the first 2 minutes of the fourth quarter.

Collison sprained his left ankle and didn’t play after halftime. He is day-to-day leading into Wednesday’s game against New Orleans.

Thunder 99, Pistons 79

Detroit: Prince 3-9 2-2 9, Wallace 0-2 0-0 0, Monroe 3-14 6-6 12, Knight 5-9 2-5 13, Stuckey 5-11 2-3 12, Jerebko 4-9 2-2 11, Maxiell 1-2 0-2 2, Wilkins 2-5 1-3 5, Russell Jr. 0-5 2-2 2, Daye 3-10 2-2 9, Macklin 2-6 0-0 4. Totals 28-82 19-27 79.

Oklahoma City: Durant 9-13 2-3 20, Ibaka 3-10 0-0 6, Perkins 0-2 0-0 0, Westbrook 11-17 2-2 24, Sefolosha 1-4 0-0 2, Harden 8-11 3-3 24, Collison 1-1 0-0 2, Mohammed 1-3 1-2 3, Jackson 1-4 1-2 3, Cook 3-5 0-0 8, Aldrich 2-4 0-0 4, Ivey 0-1 0-0 0, Hayward 1-2 1-2 3. Totals 41-77 10-14 99.

3-point goals: Detroit 4-14 (Prince 1-2, Jerebko 1-2, Daye 1-3, Knight 1-4, Russell Jr. 0-1, Stuckey 0-2), Oklahoma City 7-16 (Harden 5-6, Cook 2-4, Hayward 0-1, Sefolosha 0-1, Westbrook 0-2, Durant 0-2). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: Detroit 45 (Monroe, Daye 7), Oklahoma City 57 (Ibaka 10). Assists: Detroit 14 (Prince, Russell Jr. 3), Oklahoma City 21 (Westbrook 6). Total fouls: Detroit 11, Oklahoma City 22. Technicals: Detroit defensive three second, Perkins. A: 18,203 (18,203).

Up next

Vs. New Orleans

7 p.m. Wednesday

TV: FSOK-27

Radio: KYAL fm97.1