Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Westbrook leads Thunder to win
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Russell Westbrook didn't think the Oklahoma City Thunder were aggressive enough in the last meeting with the Charlotte Hornets.
The NBA's reigning MVP made sure that didn't happen again Saturday.
"We hit first," Westbrook said.
Westbrook had 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and the Thunder beat the Hornets 101-91 to snap a three-game losing streak.
Paul George added 17 points, Steven Adams had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and the Thunder avenged a 116103 loss to the Hornets earlier this season in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder trailed by three entering the fourth quarter, but their bench helped open a double-digit lead as Charlotte shot 5 of 21 from the field over the final 12 minutes. The Thunder attempted 97 shots as they dominated the offensive glass with 20 second-chance points.
Oklahoma City's length on defense bothered the Hornets all night, particularly late in the game.
Charlotte scored just 32 points in the second half.
"We used our size and athleticism, to put pressure on them," Westbrook said.
Hornets All-Star point guard Kemba Walker had several shots blocked on drives to the basket and finished 5 of 17 from the field. He still led the Hornets with 19 points, while Dwight Howard added 11 points and 17 rebounds.
Charlotte hoped to gain some momentum and get back in the fight in the Eastern Conference after having won three of its previous four games, but couldn't overcome its poor fourth quarter. The Hornets were outscored 28-15.
It was a needed win for the Thunder in their fifth game on the road in the last six. Oklahoma City will play four of its next five at home.
Westbrook finished just 10 of 27 from the field but controlled the tempo of the game late and didn't allow the Hornets to get back into it once they fell behind by double digits.
Hornets associate head coach Stephen Silas said he felt that his team ran out of gas in the fourth quarter after playing a late game Friday night and then two hours earlier than normal on Saturday.
"We started the quarter pretty good but after the second group went in they seemed tired," Silas said. "Our first group seemed tired, too. A back-to-back with a quick turnaround was a tough one." SPURS 112, NUGGETS 80 Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points in his return from a three-game absence, Davis Bertans had 18 and San Antonio never trailed in a victory over Denver. San Antonio won its 14th straight at the AT&T Center, improving the league’s best home record to 19-2. The Spurs’ projected starting lineup of Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker and Danny Green played together for only the sixth game this season and just the second time at home. BULLS 107, PISTONS 105 Zach
LaVine scored 14 points in his first game in 11 months, rookie Lauri Markkanen added 19 points and Chicago beat Detroit. Chicago made 17 3-pointers and held off several late charges by the Pistons to win for the 13th time in its last 20 games. WIZARDS 119, NETS 113, OT
John Wall scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half and overtime and added 16 assists as Washington beat Brooklyn after giving back a 23-point lead. Bradley Beal added 24 points and Marcin Gortat had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, who needed their first overtime victory of the season to avoid being swept by the Nets in the season series.
CLIPPERS 126, KINGS 105 Lou Williams scored 26 points and injury-depleted Los Angeles beat Sacramento to get to .500 at the season’s halfway mark. Willie Reed added 14 points and 13 rebounds starting in place of DeAndre Jordan, who has a sprained left ankle. Blake Griffin had 11 points and nine assists as one of eight Clippers in double figures. Besides Jordan, they were without Austin Rivers and Danilo Gallinari. LAKERS 107, MAVERICKS 101, OT Julius Randle’s rebound and late putback sealed an overtime victory for Los Angeles against Dallas. With his team leading 104-101, Randle grabbed a rebound on Lonzo Ball’s missed jump shot and scored on the rebound with 18.3 seconds remaining, giving the Lakers a five-point lead they needed to extend a season-best four-game win streak.