Westbrook, Thunder overpower Clippers
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook collected his 16th triple-double of the season to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 114-88 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Westbrook posted 17 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists. He actually hit the triple-double mark in less than 20 minutes in the first half. He is now two triple-doubles away from matching his total from all of last season.
Enes Kanter came off the bench to lead the Thunder in scoring with 23 points on 6 of 13 shooting. Victor Oladipo added 15 points while Alex Abrines added 12 points before being leaving the game late in the third quarter with concussion like symptoms.
The Thunder improved to 21-13 and 8-1 on New Year's Eve.
Brandon Bass had 18 points and Marreese Speights added 18 off the bench. Austin Rivers was the only starter to reach double figures with 14.
Playing on the second half of a back to back, the Clippers lost their sixth straight game and fell to 22-14 on the season.
The Thunder wasted no time in jumping on the undermanned Clippers.
Oladipo led the charge in the first quarter, showing no signs of rust after a nine game absence. His jump shots were falling from the outset as he knocked in a quick nine points as Oklahoma City held a 33-12 advantage.
But it was the Thunder defense that set the tone. The 12 points they allowed in the first quarter was their lowest surrendered in any quarter this season.
Playing without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, the Clippers were missing their two leading scorers and it showed in a 25-0 disadvantage in first-half fastbreak points. No other player could go get their own shot and the perimeter shots weren't falling.
Austin Rivers and J.J. Redick had a combined zero points in the first 20 minutes of the game.
Oklahoma City held a 69-40 halftime lead and Westbrook earned his fastest triple-double of the season.
The only drama in the second half took place when Westbrook picked up a technical foul while sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter. It was his 11th of the season and third in two games. A 16th technical foul will result in an automatic one game suspension.
NOTES: Oklahoma City G Victor Oladipo returned to the lineup after missing the past nine games with a wrist sprain. The Thunder went 5-4 during that span. "We felt in the Memphis game he was getting closer," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "He feels a lot better. We are not surprised with how long it took." ... Los Angeles G Chris Paul missed his fifth game in the last six outings because of the lingering affects of a left hamstring strain. Paul missed Friday night's contest in Houston. "Once we had decided yesterday," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said, "we had pretty much decided today." ... Rivers said there was not going to be any punishment by the NBA on guard Austin Rivers after he was ejected from Friday's game when he bumped into a referee. "They didn't think...." coach Rivers said. "That's all I'm going to say. Obviously they didn't think it was an issue either way."