Westbrook stars in Thunders win
Los Angeles, Oct. 29: Russell Westbrook completed his collection with a triple-double on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls, the only NBA that had denied the Oklahoma City star the statistical feat.
Westbrook, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, scored 12 points with 13 rebounds and 13 assists in Oklahoma City’s 101-69 rout of the Bulls.
He’s the first player to post a triple-double — notching double digits in three statistical categories — against all 29 opposing teams in the NBA.
It was his third tripledouble of the young season, and he needed just 28 minutes on court to achieve it. Carmelo Anthony and Paul George, new arrivals in Oklahoma City this season, combined to drain nine three-pointers, Anthony scoring 21 points and George 20.
Kiwi center Steven Adams and Raymond Felton scored 12 points apiece as part of a balanced Thunder attack, and Oklahoma City held the Bulls to an anemic 28.2 percent shooting.
“(Defense) just set the tone,” Westbrook said. “When we’re able to do that, it puts us in position to do good things,” he added.
Friday’s defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, followed by a worrisome flight from Minneapolis to Chicago that left their charter plane damaged, didn’t appear to affect the Thunder on court.
They opened the game on a 15-3 scoring run, and led 50-31 at halftime.
Westbrook had two steals as part of a solid defensive effort that forced 19 Bulls turnovers.
Lauri Markkanen scored 15 points to lead the Bulls, who were coming off a 9186 win over the Atlanta Hawks. DeMarcus Cousins notched a triple-double and Anthony Davis returned from injury to score 30 points as the Pelicans downed the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-101 in New Orleans.
Cousins poured in 29 points with 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double since arriving in New Orleans.
Davis, who missed Thursday’s game against the Sacramento Kings with a knee injury, pulled down 14 rebounds to go with his 30 points. Jrue Holiday also had a season-high 29 points and seven assists, while E’Twaun Moore matched his career-high with 24 points. — AFP