NBA: Westbrook triple as Thunder tangle Nets
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) drives to the basket around Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. Oklahoma City won 124-105. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)p
Russell Westbrook scored his fourth triple double of the season as Oklahoma City cruised to a comfortable win over the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
Westbrook, a man on a mission for the Thunder this season following Kevin Durant’s departure, finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists to take his personal tally to 41 career triple-doubles.
More immediately, Westbrook’s performance steered the Thunder to a comfortable 124-105 win at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, helping his team improve to 8-5 for the season.
The 28-year-old is only the second player in NBA history to amass 13,000 points, 3,400 rebounds and 4,500 assists in his first 600 career games.
Legendary former Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks player Oscar Robertson was the first to reach that milestone.
“He’s unique. Really unique,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said of Westbrook after his side’s loss.
“Everything he brings to the table is competitiveness. How fast he is, how strong he is. Very impressive player.”
Oklahoma City’s Victor Oladipo gave Westbrook vital back up with 26 points and six assists while New Zealand center Steven Adams added 15 and six boards.
“I was just playing the game, man,” said Oladipo. “Taking it one game at a time, one possession at a time.”
Brook Lopez led scoring for Brooklyn with 22 points. Bojan Bogdanovic added 13 points, while Anthony Bennett finished with 12 points as well.
Atkinson, meanwhile, was concerned about his team’s failure to compete on the boards, where they were outmuscled 46-30.
“That’s an issue,” Atkinson said. “Physically they are a tough team. That’s what they do. They are a physical team, big team. Definitely an area of improvement for u
