Russell Westbrook scored 33 points, including a career-high five three-pointers, and was too much for the ailing Los Angeles Lakers to handle as the Oklahoma City Thunder prevailed, 114-108, in Friday night's marquee game at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Lakers vs. Thunder final score: Russell Westbrook scores 33, OKC wins, 114-108
Russell Westbrook set a career-high in three-pointers made on a night where the Thunder were a step ahead of the Lakers in every aspect.
Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE
Westbrook routinely blew by the Lakers' guards to get easy baskets and was deadly from the outside en route to one of his best performances of the season. The biggest sign that it was his night came at the end of the first quarter, when he drove the floor in under five seconds to drill a 24-foot three-pointer with Darius Morris in his face.
Kevin Durant led the all scorers, notching a game-high 36 points on 10-of-19 shooting and was 6 of 8 from the free throw line to help put the game away late for OKC.
Turnovers told much of the story for the Lakers as they committed 17, resulting in 20 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City showcased their superior team speed and outran the Lakers in scoring 28 fast break points.
Kobe Bryant led Los Angeles with 35 points on 11-of-24 shooting from the field. Dwight Howard added 23 points and 18 rebounds in a solid performance of his own. The Lakers are just 1-8 when Bryant scores 30 or more points this season.
Westbrook was on fire in the first half, going 5-of-7 from three-point range. Oklahoma City led by 14 points through the first two quarters, and led by as many as 19. L.A. made a late run in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead down to as few as four, but the Thunder managed to hang on behind Durant’s clutch shooting.
Oklahoma City extended their winning streak to seven games by shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from the three-point line. Los Angeles fell to 9-11 on the season, and is just 2-6 on the road. The Thunder moved to 16-4 with the win.
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