OKLAHOMA CITY – Russell Westbrook posted his fifth triple-double in six games to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Toronto Raptors 108-104 on Sunday night.
Westbrook, the NBA’s leading scorer, had 30 points, matched a career high with 17 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds for his seventh triple-double of the season and 15th of his career.
Enes Kanter had 21 points and 12 rebounds and Serge Ibaka had 21 points and five blocks for the Thunder, who remained alone in eighth place in the Western Conference standings.
The Thunder shot 51 per cent from the field and outrebounded the Raptors 49-33.
DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points and Terrence Ross added 20 for the Raptors, who lost their third straight.
A power dunk by DeRozan cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 106-104 with 15.4 seconds to play. Westbrook made two free throws with 14.3 seconds to play to make it a four-point lead. DeRozan missed a contested 3-pointer, and the Thunder held on.
Toronto led by seven in the second quarter before the Thunder rallied. A dunk by Ibaka on an assist by Westbrook cut the Raptors’ lead to 59-58, but Toronto maintained a 61-58 lead heading into the break. DeRozan led the Raptors with 16 points in the first half. Oklahoma City shot 56 per cent before the break, but turned the ball over 10 times.
Westbrook clinched the triple-double on a rebound with just over a minute left in the third quarter. Steven Adams’ jumper in the lane as time expired in the period gave the Thunder an 86-79 lead and Westbrook his 15th assist.
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