NBA scores 2017: The Thunder need fixing, and 6 more things from Saturday night’s games

PG, Russ and Melo haven’t figured it out yet. That’s OK for now, but the clock is ticking.

Nov 26, 2017, 12:45 PM UTC

NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Thunder lost their 11th game of the season, this time by 18 to a Mavericks team with only five wins — four before playing the Thunder on Saturday.

Something is wrong in OKC. The Thunder have three All-Stars, including the reigning league Most Valuable Player and two of the 10 best small forwards in the NBA. But it’s almost December and they have still have more losses than wins.

We’ve said give them time. We’ve said it takes time for three All-Stars to mesh on the court. We pointed to LeBron James going to Miami and having to get in sync with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade before going back to Cleveland and having to develop that same chemistry with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. And we’ve talked about Russell Westbrook’s uniquely smash-mouth style of play that takes some getting used to.

But we’re almost 20 games into the season, and the Thunder are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers at ninth in the West with an 8-11 record. This is the same team with the talent that can challenge the conference’s top dogs.

We’ve said give them time. Now time is ticking. It’s time for OKC to get it together. And they probably will.

The Rockets trailed by 22 points to the Knicks. They won by 15

The Knicks were without Kristaps Porzingis and Enes Kanter, but went on a huge 21-3 run to open the game against the Rockets. They kept Houston off the three-point line, and it looked like it could have been a long night for the Beard and Chris Paul, who haven’t lost a game when both are healthy.

Then the superstar duo came to life, and the Rockets won the third quarter, 37-13.

James Harden scored 37 points and had 10 assists. CP3 had 13 assists of his own despite a 2-for-12 shooting night. And that was enough.

The Rockets are real.

The Clippers and Kings went down to the wire

First Buddy Hield modestly mixed Blake Griffin to create just enough space for a game-tying three.

But then Griffin responded with the game-winner, pump-faking then splashing a fadeaway over Willie Cauley-Stein:

The Kings and Clippers have a 12-25 record combined, so neither of these teams are favored to make the West playoffs. But sometimes, these games are the most fun to watch.

C.J. McCollum sparked a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback over the Wizards

Without John Wall, the Wizards weren’t expected to open up a double-digit lead on anyone, but a healthy Trail Blazers team appeared outmatched. Otto Porter was key as a secondary scorer with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting and 10 rebounds, and Bradley Beal had 26 points.

But on the backs of McCollum and Damian Lillard, Portland came roaring back in the final seconds. Lillard finished with 29 points, but McCollum’s 26, featuring seven in the final minute and 30 seconds, lifted the Blazers over the Wizards for good, 108-105.