Serge Ibaka had 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in Monday's win by the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Toronto Raptors. Most impressive was perhaps Ibaka's +39 in 33 minutes.

Ibaka made several key passes as well as shot fakes into mid-range jumpers.

“Those things I’ve been working all season,” Ibaka said. “I just think it’s paying off now.”

Ibaka used his gravitational pull to create offense for other players.

“Guys have to respect that 15-, 17-foot jumper,” Westbrook said. “Because that’s easy money for him. So he’s doing a better job reading and reacting.”

Said Billy Donovan: “He’s seeing things now for whatever reason that maybe he was missing in previous games.”

“I’m gonna tell you the truth, it’s hard sometimes when you play hard, you play you’re (butt off),” Ibaka swore, before apologizing and rephrasing. “You play so hard on defense, then you come to offense and you’re going to be out there in the corner for 4, 5, 6, sometimes 8 minutes and you don’t touch the ball. We human, man. It’s hard.”

Kyle Lowry has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played March 14-20.

Lowry earns the honor for the fourth time as a member of the Raptors and the fifth time in his career. Lowry ranked fourth in East scoring last week averaging 27.2 points and led the NBA in fourth quarter scoring at 10.8 points. He also posted 6.8 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 2.2 steals and shot .471 (16-for-34) from three-point range while helping Toronto post a 4-1 record.

Lowry recorded double-doubles on consecutive nights March 14 vs. Chicago (33 points, 11 rebounds) and March 15 at Milwaukee (25 points, 11 assists) to start the week. He followed up by scoring eight of the team’s 16 points in overtime March 17 at Indiana and then 13 of his game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter March 18 versus Boston.

Kevin Durant won the award for the Western Conference.

Durant led the Thunder to a 4-0 week behind averages of 26.8 points (tied for first in the Western Conference), 9.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists.  

Kevin Durant is frequently asked for his opinion on other cities this season as he approaches free agency, but he was asked about Oklahoma City during a fundraiser to benefit his foundation.

"It's home," he said. "It's home.

"I've always felt that this place meant so much to me," he said. "It has a special place in my heart and my family's heart as well. And we want to do our justice by giving back and giving to the less fortunate. That's how I was raised, that's how my mom taught me, how my grandmother taught me, is to give back. I've been blessed with so much I want to be a blessing on someone else."

"Since I've been doing this job we've walked into the same building every single day," Thunder general manager Sam Presti said of Durant. "I can honestly tell you there's never a day that goes by that I take for granted that I work in an organization that has Kevin Durant representing it. His evolution as a person has been as steady, consistent and impressive as his evolution as a player. And that's quite the statement."

Kevin Durant was clear in supporting his supporting cast with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Look, we like each other,” Durant told The Vertical. “We like playing with each other. We like being around each other. Sometimes it comes down to basketball. Sometimes, X’s and O’s are the reason you lose games. It’s not always leadership issues or camaraderie issues; sometimes other teams just play better basketball than you. But we love each other.”

Durant and the Thunder are chasing one last shot at a title before he becomes a free agent.

“I think I’m playing a little more free than I used to,” Durant told The Vertical. “I used to put a lot of pressure on myself. I’d think, ‘Maybe I’m not being a good enough leader. Maybe I should change my personality.’ I was always thinking what if I change this, what if I change that, instead of just going out and being me. I’ve just been about playing the game at the level I like playing at and playing with the level of joy I like playing with.”

Rival executives believe the San Antonio Spurs will explore ways in which they can sign Kevin Durant in free agency.

The Spurs signed LaMarcus Aldridge to a max contract in free agency last offseason with their cap gymnastics such as trading away Tiago Splitter and then signing Danny Green, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili to under fair market value contracts.

San Antonio would have to figure out how to play Durant with Kawhi Leonard despite the fact they play the same position. The Spurs could play big with Durant and Leonard as the two wings, or play small with those two players as the forwards to move Aldridge to center.

Trading away Green could be necessary to create enough cap space for Durant.

Kevin Durant was asked about the city of Boston ahead of Wednesday's game against the Celtics.

The Celtics will have maximum cap space available to sign Durant but they're considered a longshot.

“I like the city a lot,” said Durant. “It’s cold, but they love sports here. It’s a family atmosphere I feel when I walk around the city, so yeah, I like it a lot.”

Durant hasn't played a game in Boston since Nov. 23, 2012 due to various injuries over the past few seasons.

“It’s been a while, right?” he said. “Before this game, I was hoping everything goes well our last game so I can finally play here.

“It’s been three years since I played here, so I’m really looking forward to it. Some of the best fans in the world, and they definitely support their team, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Monty Williams will not return to the Oklahoma City Thunder this season after the passing of his wife Ingrid last month.

“The most important thing for Monty during this time is for him to be with his family, and the most important thing for us as an organization is to support him as a person, in any way that we can," said Sam Presti. "Even though Monty will not return to the team this season, his presence will be felt by all of us within the program and we will remain close with him and his family."

“I have really enjoyed my relationship with Monty, and clearly we will miss him, but we value and embrace that it is critical he is there for his family at this time and our focus is on doing whatever we can, in any small way, to help him," said Billy Donovan. "He and his family will continue to be in our thoughts.”

Williams is in his first season as an assistant with the Thunder after serving as head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans for several seasons.

Kevin Durant has been relieved his impending free agency hasn't been a bigger story this season.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been totally quiet, but it’s been cool,” Durant said. “It’s been different. I was expecting a lot, every city I go to, everybody would ask questions, but it’s been pretty quiet.”

Durant and his management team put a plan in place to try and limit rumors.

“If it didn’t come from me or anybody I know, like I said in the summertime, I don’t know where it comes from,” he said. “Everyone makes their rumors this time of year and everybody wants the clicks for their stories. That’s a part of it. I had nothing to do with that. I can’t control it.”

The biggest report this season has been linking Durant to the Golden State Warriors should he decide to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Fox 29 in Philadelphia reports Dion Waiters' brother was one of six people killed on Tuesday in three separate acts of violence. 

Waiters won't be with the Oklahoma City Thunder when they play the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Waiters posted to his Instagram account about the death of his brother, saying, "The call I just got about my lil brother wasn't expecting this s---.....crushed my heart I never question why.... But this hurt.... I promise I got Yu mark my word..... Love Yu kid... r.i.p."

The Thunder organization has experienced a difficult recent few weeks with assistant coach Monty Williams' wife being killed in a multicar accident on Feb. 9, and part owner Aubrey McClendon dying in a single-car crash on March 2.

Kevin Durant was asked to respond to comments made by broadcaster Joel Meyers that he would leave the Oklahoma City Thunder if the team didn't at least reach The Finals.

"Everyone make up rumors this time of year," said Durant.

"If they don't, I'm told if they don't at least get to the NBA Finals, Durant's gone," said Meyers. "Simple as that. And to the point where he may want his own team. So everybody's talking about Golden State. There may be other teams coming into the equation for Kevin Durant. He's the principle. He's going to be the guy. So from what I've been told, it may not be Golden State after all."