Kevin Durant's 3-pointer at the buzzer gives Thunder win over Mavericks

After sinking far enough off Dallas guard Vince Carter to allow him to catch a pass and can a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to put the Mavs up one with 1.4 seconds left, Durant walked back to the bench dialed in on doing something good.

“He was focused,” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks of Durant in the ensuing timeout.

Said Durant: “All I remember coming to the bench was Reggie Jackson screaming I was going to make the last shot. I just tried to be confident and tell myself I can make it and luckily I did.”

The play unfolded like so many we saw last season. Durant caught an inbounds pass from Thabo Sefolosha on the right wing. He turned and faced as the clock began to tick. As Durant launched, he flicked his wrist to release a high-arching rainbow over helpless Mavs guard Jason Terry. When it splashed through the net in unison with the sound of the final buzzer, it signaled a 104-102 Thunder win Thursday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Durant turned, untucked his jersey and raced in triumph toward his mother who was sitting courtside.

“I had a great angle, and I knew it was right on target. I just didn't know the distance,” Brooks said. “But it looked good from the start.”