Westbrook gets into the record books
PHOENIX — Russell Westbrook became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, but failed for the second game in a row to break Oscar Robertson’s single-season record for most triple-doubles.
Westbrook fell two assists shy of what would have been his 42nd triple-double in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s onesided 120-99 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
On a rough night all around, Westbrook had 23 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, along with eight turnovers before coach Billy Donovan pulled him with 2:34 to play.
Devin Booker scored 21 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter for the Suns, who snapped a 13-game losing streak.
• Hawks 114, Cavaliers 100 — At Cleveland: Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and the Atlanta Hawks, despite resting center Dwight Howard and missing three other key starters, stunned the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Hawks, who beat Boston on Thursday night, outworked and outgunned the defending NBA champions. The Cavaliers blew a chance to move closer to securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
• Raptors 96, Heat 94 — At Toronto: DeMar DeRozan scored 38 points and Toronto beat Miami in the Raptors’ final home game of the regular season.
DeRozan broke Vince Carter’s franchise record with his 31st 30-point game of the season, shooting 14 of 32 from the floor. Carter set the mark in 2000-01.
• Grizzlies 101, Knicks 88 — At Memphis, Tenn.: Mike Conley scored 31 points and Memphis warpped up the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference with a victory over short-handed New York.
Conley was 12 of 17 from the field, including 7 of 11 from 3-point range. The Grizzlies will face the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.
• Pistons 114, Rockets 109 — At Houston: Stanley Johnson hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 32.4 seconds left and added two free throws to lift Detroit past Houston.
The Rockets led by two after a dunk by Montrezl Harrell before Ish Smith made a basket to tie it. James Harden missed a 3-pointer on the other end, and Johnson’s 3-pointer made it 110-107. Harden missed another 3-point attempt, and Johnson added the free throws to make it 112-107.
• Nuggets 122, Pelicans 106 — At Denver: Rookie Jamal Murray scored a career-high 30 points, including several high-soaring dunks, and Denver beat New Orleans to keep its postseason hopes alive.
Nikola Jokic added 23 points and 12 rebounds to help the Nuggets pull within a game of Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with three games remaining.
• Spurs 109, Mavericks 89 — At Dallas: Bryn Forbes scored a career-high 27 points with San Antonio resting most of its starters, and the Spurs ran past Dallas after the Mavericks pulled most of their key veterans in the second half.
• Jazz 120, Timberwolves 113 — At Salt Lake City: Gordon Hayward scored a career-high 39 points and Utah overcame an 11-point deficit to beat Minnesota.