Thunder 128, Trail Blazers 94
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Enes Kanter scored 26 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 128-94 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers Monday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Kanter shot 9 of 15 from the field to lead seven Oklahoma City players in double figures as the Thunder recorded their largest margin of victory this season. It was the first time a player other than Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook led the team in scoring since Jan. 4
Westbrook collected his 12th triple-double of the season as he posted 17 points, 16 assists, 10 rebounds and zero turnovers.
Durant only shot 6 of 15 from the field and 1 of 5 from 3-point range while scoring 20 points. Serge Ibaka added 15 points and seven rebounds to help the Thunder improve to 45-22.
Portland was paced by Damian Lillard, who scored 21 points. CJ McCollum added 15 points. However, the Blazers' high-scoring backcourt combined to shoot just 12 of 33 from the field as the Blazers fell to 35-32.
The Trail Blazers started the game bombing away from three-point land, attempting 10 three-pointers in the first quarter. They entered the game riding a franchise-record eight straight games with at least 10 shots made from behind the 3-point arc. That streak ended against the Thunder.
Durant made his first six shots as the Thunder took a 31-22 advantage into the second quarter.
The Blazers had to rely on its perimeter players to shoulder the scoring load, but neither Lillard nor McCollum shot a high percentage in the first half.
Durant and Westbrook got help from Kanter and Anthony Morrow, who had been in a shooting slump.
Westbrook had 11 first half assists, but would have had at least 15 if the Thunder big men had converted some easy shots.
With Westbrook one rebound shy of a first-half triple-double, Oklahoma City held a 66-42 halftime lead.
Oklahoma City didn't let the Blazers get into the game in the second half. The Thunder starters spent the fourth quarter on the bench.
The win ends the Thunder's two-game losing streak and improves their record to 5-8 since the all-star break.
NOTES: Despite his team having lost 12 games in which they led going into the fourth quarter before Monday, Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan doesn't consider them all collapses. "I don't really consider a two-point game a fourth-quarter lead," Donovan said. "I consider up by seven or eight with three minutes, four minutes to go in a game, those in my opinion are leads we've got to finish out." ... Portland coach Terry Stotts is looking for his alma mater, Oklahoma, to win the NCAA championship. "I hope they are," Stotts said. "This year I think anything can happen with the NCAA. They were No. 1. A lot of teams were No. 1. I think anything is possible this year." ... Thunder G Dion Waiters missed his fourth straight game since the death of his younger brother. Donovan expects Waiters to rejoin the team during the upcoming three-game road trip. "Hopefully he will be available for our next game," Donovan said.