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Thunder vs Clippers, final score: Westbrook's historic night powers OKC over Los Angeles

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Westbrook is just the third player in the last 30 seasons o have a 25-point, 10-rebound and 20-assist game.

By Brandon_Jefferson
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Box Score | Clips Nation

The Oklahoma City Thunder got revenge against the Los Angles Clippers on Wednesday night, 120-108. Russell Westbrook notched a second straight triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 20 assists (his career high) and Kevin Durant smoothly poured in 30 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

After allowing the Clippers to hang around in the second quarter, OKC showed that those previous blown fourth quarter leads are being eradicated. Russell Westbrook was in the zone from the opening tip. He opened the game by dishing out six assists in the first five minutes of the game. Continuing what we saw from them against Milwaukee on Sunday, the ball was zipping around the court and every player was involved.

Serge Ibaka hit a wide open three to open the scoring in what turned out to be a season-high 39 point first quarter. Andre Roberson had five first quarter points, Steven Adams and Enes Kanter both added in four points apiece, and the Thunder handed out eleven assists on their 14 first quarter field goals.

Unfortunately, the second quarter saw the same maladies of the season plague OKC once more. There were turnovers (seven in the quarter), lazy transition defense, ball stopping by Westbrook and Durant, a technical foul, and poor shooting. The Clippers, behind the play of Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford and DeAndre Jordan, were able to bring a 10-point deficit down to two at the half. You could feel all of Twitter collectively preparing their #hottakes as the first half came to a close.

However, after halftime the Thunder regained the swagger they had played with to begin the game and after 12 minutes built the lead back up to 10. With the whole world quoting the stat that OKC has blown 10 games when entering the fourth quarter with a lead, all eyes were looking to see if Russ and KD could hold on. In the postgame interview with ESPN, Durant had this to say about how the team was able to finish strong this time:
"[Just] control the things that we can control and we'll win. We gave them that last game tonight we took it."
Durant was definitely in control and it was his five points and assist to Roberson with a little over wo minutes left that sealed the game for the Thunder tonight.

In OKC We Russ

Another night, another triple-double. His early play set the tone for the game and he spoke afterwards with ESPN's Chris Broussard about his approach to every game, "My job is to find ways for us to win games. Every night I come out with the same energy regardless of who I'm playing." Russ is the first player with a 25-10-20 stat line since the Lakers' Magic Johnson in 1988.

Thunder Make Sure Everyone Gets Involved

The Thunder finished the game with 33 assists--the Warriors for comparison's sake average 29 assits per game--and five players with double-digit scoring performances (Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Kanter and Roberson). The chemistry was flowing through Chesapeake Energy Arena. As the game reached the final minutes Billy Donovan had to break up a bench celebration in order to get Cam Payne, Mitch McGary, Nazr Mohammed (2016 Thunder debut!) to the scorer's table.

***

Brandon's Awards

Thunder Wonder: Russell Westbrook, who now has a league-high 11 triple doubles

Thunder Down Under: Kevin Durant somehow manage to have a quiet 30-point and 12-rebound effort, his fourth straight game with 30-plus points and 10-plus rebounds

Thunder Blunder: Anthony Morrow, the OKC marksmen, was given a chance to play due to the absence of Dion Waiters, but he missed the first four threes he took

Thunder Plunderer: JJ Redick, who's hot hand in the fourth quarter almost single-handedly brought the Clippers back into the game

***

Next game: vs Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, March 11 at 7PM CDT

What did you think of tonight's game? Drop a comment and let us know!

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