OKLAHOMA CITY—With seven seconds remaining in the first half Monday night against the New York Knicks, Russell Westbrook whipped a pass to Joffrey Lauvergne under the basket. Kristaps Porzingis reached out at the last second to deflect the pass, resulting in a Thunder turnover. Time expired and Oklahoma City took a 58-55 lead into halftime.
Westbrook was on the verge of a rare halftime triple-double. With 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, the Thunder star just needed Lauvergne to catch and finish, but Porzingis’ fingertips ruined it. That Westbrook passed up a mildly contested jumper in his comfort zone in favor of a risky pass spoke volumes.
He wanted that assist before the halftime buzzer sounded.
Westbrook finally got that pesky dime early in the third quarter, finishing with an eye-popping 27 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists during the Thunder’s 112-103 victory. It was his third straight triple-double and his eighth of the season.
Monday's performance pushed him into triple-double averages for the season: 30.9 points, 11.3 assists, and 10.4 rebounds per game. He joined some exclus ...
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Article written by Jon Hamm
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