Westbrook, Thunder too strong for Lakers
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook collected his 28th triple-double of the season to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 110-93 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Westbrook scored 17 points on 4-of-17 shooting to go with 17 assists and 18 rebounds. Alex Abrines and Andre Roberson each posted 19 points as they combined to hit eight 3-pointers. Steven Adams collected 15 points and 10 rebounds as the Thunder improved to 33-25.
D'Angelo Russell paced the Lakers with 29 points on 12-of-26 shooting. Jordan Clarkson came off the bench to score 14 points while Julius Randle added 13 as Los Angeles dropped to 19-41.
It was the Thunder reserves who made the biggest impact in the first half. Abrines, who started in his first game of the season, scorched the Lakers for 10 first-quarter points. That included knocking down a pair of 3-pointers.
Oklahoma City also received strong contributions from its newest members. Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott didn't hesitate to get involved in their first game with the Thunder. The duo combined for 10 points.
However, the Lakers stayed in striking distance throughout the half. Russell and Clarkson were able to knock down a few jumpers while also driving to the rim for layups.
Los Angeles trailed Oklahoma City 58-51 at halftime.
Abrines once again came out on fire to start the third quarter. He hit three quick 3-pointers as the Thunder stormed ahead to a 73-58 advantage.
The third quarter was a disaster for the Lakers. Not only were they unable to slow down Oklahoma City, their offense fell apart. Only Russell seemed to be able to get his shot off as they fell behind by 20 points.
The Lakers finally found their offense in the fourth as Randle and Ingram joined the party. They were able to cut the Thunder lead down to nine with four minutes left in the game. But they didn't have enough left in the tank to finish the run as the Thunder held on.
NOTES: Oklahoma City G Victor Oladipo missed Friday's game due to back spasms, which started Thursday. G Alex Abrines started in his place. "He did go through one practice and then he had some back spasms," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "He did some light shooting and some movement, but we kept him out of contact. This morning he felt better, but didn't feel great." ... With Lou Williams no longer on the team, Lakers coach Luke Walton said it is an opportunity for other players to take over the scoring load. That included G D'Angelo Russell and F Julius Randle. ... Thunder forward Enes Kanter returned to the lineup after missing the previous 10 games with a fractured forearm.