Westbrook leads Thunder vs Bulls
LOS ANGELES — Russell Westbrook completed his collection with a triple- double yesterday against the Chicago Bulls, the only NBA team 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 triple- double 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% shooting.
“( Defense) just set the tone,” Westbrook said. “When we’re able to do that, it puts us in position to do good things.”
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.
“Honestly, my main thing coming into this year was finding ways to impact the game defensively the way I know I can,” Westbrook said. “For me, that’s part of my job ... to be that player who is able to do that on a night in, night out basis.”
Lauri Markkanen scored 15 points to lead the Bulls, who were coming off a 91-86 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
“We took a huge step in the wrong direction,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said of his rebuilding team. “We didn’t compete. Our body language sucked. It’s very disappointing.” —