Kevin Durant silences critics as Warriors rout Blazers

After throwing down a one-handed dunk Friday night, Kevin Durant landed on the baseline, turned around, pumped his right fist and yelled. In that second-quarter moment, as a capacity Oracle Arena crowd roared back, Durant seemingly exorcized the memory of one of the most tumultuous stretches of his NBA career. After an 11-day span that included his rift with teammate Draymond Green, a $25,000 fine for shouting expletives at a fan and five losses in six games, Durant was a driving force behind the Warriors' 125-97 win over Portland at Oracle Arena. As Green (right toe sprain) and Stephen Curry (left groin strain) watched from the bench, Durant played with a joy not seen from him in almost two weeks.