Westbrook closes on Jordan’s 1989 record

RUSSELL Westbrook became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1989 to notch five straight triple-doubles in the NBA, his latest on Sunday powering Oklahoma City to a 101-92 victory over the Pelicans in New Orleans.

Westbrook scored 28 points, pulled down 17 rebounds and handed out 12 assists for his 10th triple-double of the season and his fifth in a row.

His streak is the longest since Jordan posted seven straight in 1989.

“It’s just a blessing,” Westbrook said. “I’m very, very blessed to be able to play the game I love. Like I’ve said before, I never take it for granted. Every time I step on the floor, I’m blessed beyond belief.”

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said before the game that hat in his opinion Westbrook k is “the best athlete in the he NBA”.

Thunder centre Enesnes Kanter recorded 17 pointsnts and 10 rebounds. Victortor Oladipo added 15 pointss for Oklahoma City, who withstood 37 points and d 15 rebounds from Pelicans s star Anthony Davis.

Rookie Buddy Hield broke out of a slump with 16 points,ints, all in the second half, for r the Pelicans, who trailed by as many as 15 but cut the lead to seven points with three min- utes remaining. Davis had a chance to trim the deficit to five, but he missed back-t back-to-back shots on the same possession. W e s t - brook then produced a f fastbreak finger roll to stretch the edge back to 9393-84 with 2:39 to p play. An Oladipo free thro throw and two t h r e e - p o i n t e r s from Hield pulled New O Orleans within 94 94-90. But they wou would g e t no clo closer, and West- brook’s three-pointer in the final minute put the game away.

“I don’t think I have any words to describe him,” Kanter, the Thunder’s Turkish centre, said of Westbrook. “English is my second language.”

In New York, Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points apiece to lead the Knicks to a 106-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

It was the third time in four games that Rose scored 20 points. Brandon Jennings added a season-high 19 points and Kristaps Porzingis chipped in 15 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots for the Knicks, who handed Sacramento their third straight loss.

The Orlando Magic ended a seven-game run of futility against Detroit, downing the Pistons 98-92, thanks in large part to a stellar performance from Serge Ibaka.

Ibaka scored 21 points with seven rebounds, four assists, four blocked shots and three steals for the Magic, who hadn’t beaten the Pistons since November 17, 2014.

The Los Angeles Clippers, back at home after a punishing si x-game road trip, went down 111-102 to the Indiana Pacers.

The Clippers’ 3-3 road trip included a loss at Indiana last week as well as an upset of the reigning champion Cavaliers in Cleveland.