Thunder blocks Nuggets
Westbrook goes vintage in game’s fourth quarter
OKC squeaked by with a win at home, beating Denver 95-94.
In the midst of another floundering offensive performance in the third quarter, Russell Westbrook was in a diplomatic mood.
Timeout was called and Westbrook calmly walked up to head official Ken Mauer before bending over at the knees. “That’s a foul,” Westbrook said while shaking his head before patting Mauer on the backside and walking to the Thunder huddle.
It was the prelude to a throwback. A Westbrook vintage. A takeover fourth quarter when the Thunder needed it from its star in a 95-94 win against the Nuggets.
A quarter and a half later, Westbrook shook his head as he walked away from the free throw line and mouthed an expletive.
Westbrook made 1-of-2 free throws and Denver could win with a two.
It wouldn’t have been there without Westbrook, who scored 16 of his game-high 38 points in the fourth quarter. His final point came from the free throw line, as Westbrook received the call he wanted when the Thunder was in the midst of an 18-point third quarter.
Westbrook ripped off 10 consecutive points in the fourth. Aside from a George drive, Westbrook scored 15 of the Thunder’s Erik Horne ehorne@ oklahoman. com
last 17 points.
With Paul George’s hitting more front rim than net in a 3-of-13 performance, and Carmelo Anthony the Thunder’s eighth-leading scorer with just four points on six shots Monday, Westbrook answered the call.
“I’m good with that if we win,” Anthony said. “I’m cool with that.”
The Nuggets went into the third quarter just 5-of17 from 3-point range and hit 5-of-10 to close out the quarter with a 76-70 lead. The Thunder was buried under another third-quarter avalanche, its offense sputtering to just 18 points and reverting back to its familiar stagnation out of halftime.
It was a sharp contrast to a well-executed first half. Westbrook pinged the ball around to Andre Roberson cutting baseline for reverse layups. He demanded that Dakari Johnson, the fill-in starter for Steven Adams, post up the smaller Wilson Chandler.
Like last season, Westbrook was a decisive general. The Thunder was 13 points better with him on the floor. He committed only three turnover in 36 minutes. His 16-of28 (57.1 percent) was his best shooting performance since opening night against the Knicks.
“I thought Russell took really good shots, efficient shots in elbow areas that I think he’s always shot a high percentage from,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “He hasn’t maybe shot that percentage so far this year, but I’ve got a lot of confidence when he’s that open.”
When Denver’s Gary Harris had a 3-pointer changed to a two after a minutes-later review in the fourth, it was Westbrook time. His jumper tied the game 92-92 and the Thunder’s defense — Westbrook included — clamped down in the final four minutes.
Off a missed midrange try, Westbrook sprawled out to get a hand to a long rebound and extend a possession. Often criticized for his defensive effort, Westbrook contested Harris’ final two shots attempts with full closeouts, arms extended.
A throwback indeed, to last season on offense, and to a younger, hardcharging defender late when the Thunder needed him.
“He had it going,” Anthony said. “Any time he has it going, we’ve just got to kind of space it, play off of him, let him work, and then the ball will find us.
“As far as the shots go, there are gonna be nights like that we have to accept. It’s different. We have to accept that. But tonight he had it going. We followed his lead tonight.”