Westbrook powers Thunder to end Mavs' 6-win streak
November 22, 2015 | 8:21pm
OKLAHOMA CITY – Russell Westbrook had 31 points and 11 assists, hitting two key baskets in the final 63 seconds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from a double-digit third-quarter deficit to beat Dallas 117-114 on Sunday night (Monday morning in Manila), ending the Mavericks' six-game winning streak.
Serge Ibaka had 16 points, nine rebounds and a key late blocked shot for Oklahoma City, which was without star forward Kevin Durant (injured hamstring) for the sixth straight game. The Thunder are 3-3 in his absence.
Westbrook broke a 113-113 tie with a jumper with 1:03 left. Zaza Pachulia made 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to pull the Mavericks within a point before Westbrook's 18-foot jumper with 24 seconds left capped the scoring.
Deron Williams, who led Dallas with 20 points, missed an 18-footer and Pachulia fouled Oklahoma City's Steven Adams while going for the rebound. Adams missed both free throws, but Ibaka blocked Williams' layup attempt with 8.4 seconds left and the Mavericks managed only an off-balance heave from 3-point range by Wesley Matthews, which came nowhere close to the basket.
Oklahoma City led much of the first half. A basket by rookie Cameron Payne put the Thunder up 41-30 with 8:27 left in the second quarter, but the Mavericks rallied to forge a 50-all tie. Consecutive three-point plays by Westbrook fueled a 10-2 Oklahoma City to close the half and give the Thunder a 60-52 lead.
Dallas made its first 10 shots of the third quarter, taking an 82-72 lead on Devin Harris' basket at the 4:29 mark. But the Mavericks made one more field goal the rest of the quarter, allowing the Thunder to close the gap.
Anthony Morrow's floater put Oklahoma City up 85-83 and Enes Kanter's jumper at the buzzer gave the Thunder an 87-85 advantage.
Oklahoma City was up 91-86 less than a minute into the fourth quarter, but Dallas pulled even, then ahead at 104-102 on a three-point play by Pachulia with 4:51 left.
Consecutive jumpers by Dirk Nowitzki gave the Mavericks a 108-104 lead with 3:41 left.
Dion Waiters answered with a 3-pointer for Oklahoma City. After Pachulia missed two free throws, Ibaka put the Thunder back ahead and Westbrook's steal and layup made it 113-108.
Dallas came right back to tie with a 3-pointer by Matthews and a put-back by JJ Barea with 1:16 left.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Dallas' JaVale McGee made his season debut after signing with the Mavericks during the offseason. McGee, who missed much of the past two seasons with a stress fracture in his left tibia, entered the game late in the first quarter and made his first four shots. He finished with eight points in 11 minutes. The last time Dallas had a winning streak longer than six games was in 2011-12, when they won 12 straight and eventually took the NBA title. Williams has reached double figures in scoring in 12 of the 13 games he's played this season.
Thunder: Waiters made his second straight start, filling Durant's usual spot in the lineup. After going 3 for 29 from 3-point range in a loss to the New York Knicks, the Thunder went 3 for 4 from behind the arc in the first quarter against Dallas. In a rarity, Oklahoma City's Ibaka and Dallas' Pachulia were called for consecutive three-second violations in the first quarter. The Thunder wore their alternate orange uniforms for the second time this season.
UP NEXT
Thunder visit Utah on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) while the Mavericks play Grizzlies in Memphis on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).
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