Westbrook’s 7th straight triple-double not enough as OKC falls
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) passes the ball mid air between Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) and center Nene Hilario (42) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Houston won 102-99. AP Photo
LOS ANGELES—Russell Westbrook inscribed his name alongside that of NBA icon Michael Jordan with a seventh straight triple-double on Friday, but the Houston Rockets spoiled the moment with a 102-99 victory over his Oklahoma City Thunder.
Westbrook scored 27 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and handed out 10 assists for the Thunder to become the first player since Jordan in 1989 to post triple-doubles in seven straight games.
It was his 12th triple-double of the season and the 49th of his career.
Westbrook’s gritty determination fueled the Thunder’s bid to come back from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit.
The gap was down to one point after Westbrook made two free throws with 54.4 seconds remaining.
But a miss from Victor Oladipo and two misses from Westbrook — including an air-ball from three-point range in the face of ferocious defending by Houston’s Patrick Beverly — saw the Thunder’s six-game winning streak come to an end.
Rockets star James Harden barely missed a triple-double himself. He scored 21 points with 12 assists and nine rebounds to lead Houston to a fifth straight win.
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