Big First Half Fuels Thunder Win In N'Awlens
By Randy Renner, Senior Writer
The Thunder sizzled in the first half scoring 64 points against the New Orleans Pelicans to lead by 19 and then had to hold on for dear life in the second half to escape the Big Easy with a 114-105 win.
Along the way Russell Westbrook picked up his 23rd triple-double of the season and 60th of his career to move past Larry Bird into fifth place on the all-time triple-doubles list.
“He’s a legend for a reason,” Westbrook said of the former Celtics superstar. “It’s an honor, you never take this game for granted.”
Westbrook finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
In that big first half the Thunder shot 48.0 percent and held New Orleans to just 36.4 percent. They out-rebounded the Pelicans 33-20 and turned it over just six times.
But the 3rd quarter, which has been troublesome off and on this season for the Thunder, again caused concern.
Even with Pelicans star Anthony Davis forced to sit out with a bruised right leg New Orleans scored 37 points on almost 52 percent shooting overall and splashed six 3-pointers. OKC had seven turnovers in the quarter, more than in the entire first half.
Fortunately the Thunder offense managed 28 points so the Pels’ comeback from 22-down only got them back to within 10 but the Thunder let that melt away to just five with 5:03 to play.
That’s when Andre Roberson (who scored eight points on 4-for-4 shooting) came up big on defense by blocking Langston Galloway’s layup and sparking a fast break which Victor Oladipo finished off with a 3-ball to move the margin back to eight and moments later it was Oladipo who came up with a steal and a layup at the other end to throw cold water on the Pelicans rally.
“Their defense was incredible,” head coach Billy Donovan said of Oladipo and Roberson. “Both of those guys played exceptional defense coming down the stretch.”
Oladipo finished with 15 points, two steals and two blocks.
The Thunder bigs came up large too, especially after Davis had to leave. Both Steven Adams and Enes Kanter had double-doubles, Adams finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Kanter with 17 and 11. Adams also added four blocks.
The Thunder finish their six-game road trip on a high note with a couple of wins to square their record at 3-3 coming back home.
It won’t be a long stay though. After Thursday night’s game with the Dallas Mavericks the team finishes the month back out on the road with one of the most difficult two-game stretches any team will have, visiting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon and the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.