THUNDER DROWN OUT CAVS’ BIG GUNS
Russell Westbrook scores his 26th triple-double of the season to help Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Cleveland Cavaliers
Russell Westbrook scored 29 points and had his 26th triple-double of the season to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-109 in the NBA on Thursday night in Oklahoma.
Westbrook added 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the 63rd triple-double of his career.
Victor Oladipo scored 23 points and Steven Adams had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who now can focus on their showdown with former teammate Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday
Kyrie Irving scored 28 points, LeBron James 18 and Kevin Love 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who had won four straight. Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said after Wednesday’s win at Indiana that he was considering resting the three All-Stars, but they all started.
In Charlotte, James Harden had 30 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as Houston beat Charlotte for its third straight win.
Harden was just 8 of 21 from the field and had nine turnovers, but turned up his play a notch down the stretch as the Rockets overcame a nine-point, third-quarter deficit.
The Rockets forced the Hornets into a season-high 22 turn- overs, leading to 27 points.
Patrick Beverley had 17 points and Montrezl Harrell added 15 off the bench for the Rockets (39-17)
Nic Batum had 15 points and 10 assists for the Hornets, who have lost eight of their last nine.
In Dallas, Harrison Barnes scored 31 points, including eight in overtime to help Dallas rally from a 21-point deficit to beat Utah, 112-105.
Barnes’ three-point play ended an 11-0 run that began late in regulation and put Dallas ahead 107-100. Devin Harris scored the first four points of OT.
Utah’s Gordon Hayward scored a season-high 36 points, but missed a 3-point attempt from the left corner as regulation ended. 25
The number of times James Harden scored at least 30 points this season after making 30 points and 11 rebounds when Houston beat Charlotte
The Mavericks scored the final four points of regulation, on a dunk by Barnes and a rebound basket from the edge of the foul line by Dirk Nowitzki with 3 seconds remaining.
Nowitzki finished with 20 points. Utah’s Rudy Gobert scored 15 points and added 15 rebounds before fouling out with 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
In Orlando, T. J. McConnell made the go-ahead jumper with 5.8 seconds remaining, Dario Saric came off the bench to score 24 points and Philadelphia beat Orlando, 112-111.
McConnell’s basket in the lane came after Ersan Ilyasova won the jump ball against Evan Fournier in the waning moments of the game.