Westbrook (45 points) leads Thunder over Grizzlies
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Russell Westbrook finished a rebound shy of setting an NBA record for most triple-doubles in season, but his 45 points and 10 assists paced Oklahoma City to a 103-100 victory Wednesday night over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Westbrook had his streak of seven consecutive triple-doubles snapped a night after tying Oscar Robertson's single-season record of 41 triple-doubles in a season. Westbrook needs six assists in the Thunder's remaining four games to average a triple-double for the season.
The Grizzlies (42-37) lost their third straight to fall 3 1/2 games behind the sixth-place Thunder (45-33) in the Western Conference standings. Memphis, which has its seventh straight playoff trip secured, is in seventh place with three games left.
Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 23 points, and Zach Randolph added 20 points and nine rebounds.
For Oklahoma City, Victor Oladipo added 15 points and Steven Adams grabbed 10 rebounds.
The game was tied at 95 with 1:47 to go following two free throws by the Grizzlies' Vince Carter, but Westbrook drilled a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left for a 101-97 lead.
The Thunder owned a 79-74 advantage through three quarters. Westbrook scored 15 points in the third quarter and his 3-pointer, followed by another from Doug McDermott, gave Oklahoma City a 10-point lead (67-57), its largest to that point.
Memphis put together a 10-0 scoring run that bridged the end of the third and the start of the fourth to go up, 82-79. Randolph's 3-pointer capped the run and created a back-and-forth final eight minutes that included multiple lead changes. After only six lead changes through the first three quarters, there were eight in the fourth.
NOTES: Grizzlies G Mike Conley, leading the team with a 20.5 scoring average, missed the game with a right eye injury. Conley and San Antonio Spurs F Kawhi Leonard bumped heads in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's 95-89 Spurs' overtime victory and the collision opened a cut above Conley's eye that required 13 stitches. ... G/F Alex Abrines did not play for the Thunder because of a left knee injury. Abrines scored 12 points in Tuesday's win over the Milwaukee Bucks.