{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Oklahoma City 138, Minnesota 113
When: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Officials: #59 Gary Zielinski, #26 Pat Fraher, #8 Marc Davis
Attendance: 18250

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Oklahoma City Thunder needed a win, and some help, to get into the playoffs on Wednesday. They got halfway there.

Guard Russell Westbrook put on an offensive show for the Thunder, posting 37 points in a 138-113 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves. But with the New Orleans Pelicans winning on Wednesday night as well, Oklahoma City will be spectators when the playoffs begin.

The Thunder also got a 33-point night from guard Dion Waiters, who tied a career high, and never trailed, finishing the season with a 45-37 record. That's the same mark as the Pelicans, who beat San Antonio at home on Wednesday, but New Orleans holds the tiebreaker and will get the final Western Conference playoff spot.

Minnesota got 29 points from guard Kevin Martin but finished the season with a dozen losses in a row. The Timberwolves' 16-66 record is worst in the NBA, and gives them mathematically the best shot at the top draft pick in June. Forward Andrew Wiggins, who announced on Wednesday that he will spend part of the summer playing for Team Canada, added 23 points for the Timberwolves. It was the 31st game with 20 or more points by Wiggins, furthering his strong case for the league's rookie of the year.

Westbrook, who didn't play much of the fourth quarter, finishes the season averaging 28.1 points per game, which gives him the league scoring title a year after Thunder teammate Kevin Durant won it. His offense and rebounding set the tone, as the Thunder led by as many as 28 points in the third quarter, and eclipsed the triple-digit mark with more than 14 minutes to play.

The Thunder left little doubt from the opening tip that they would take care of their end of the playoff scenario, jumping out to a 8-0 advantage and leading by as many as 25 in the first half.

Likewise, the Westbrook show started early, as he had 23 points in the opening 12 minutes -- a season-high for one quarter this season -- and 34 by halftime to lead all scorers. Waiters played an impressive supporting role, with 21 first half points. Martin led Minnesota's first half effort with 24 points.

Westbrook and Durant become the first NBA teammates to win back-to-back scoring titles since Paul Arizin and Neil Johnston did so for the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1950s.

NOTES: Minnesota coach Flip Saunders is generally supportive of F Andrew Wiggins' decision to play for Team Canada during the summer, but he said the Timberwolves will keep close tabs on the young star. "We've talked to them and it's going to be a controlled situation," Saunders said. "We're going to have someone with him. We're going to have a strength coach with him. He's under a watchful eye. He's going to play in the games that count and that's a big thing for them." Canada will play in the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament in Mexico starting in late August. ... Minnesota has been out of the playoff race for weeks, but that made the Timberwolves no less dangerous in the eyes of Thunder coach Scott Brooks as he prepared for the game. "You've got to play every night in the NBA because any given night a team can come out and win," Brooks said. ... Timberwolves F Chase Budinger put up 18 points on Monday night in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans but left the game early with an ankle sprain. He was in street clothes on Wednesday. ... The Timberwolves avoided their worst season in history. The franchise low for wins was 15 set in 1991-92 and 2009-10.
Top Game Performances
 
Oklahoma City   Minnesota
Russell Westbrook 37 Scoring Kevin Martin 29
Russell Westbrook 7 Assists Zach LaVine 13
Enes Kanter 15 Rebounds Anthony Bennett 9
Russell Westbrook 13 Free Throws Made Andrew Wiggins 11
Dion Waiters 3 Steals Zach LaVine 3
Mitch McGary 4 Blocks Andrew Wiggins 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Oklahoma City 138 54.7 12-28 22-31 22 46 6 10 13
Minnesota 113 46.4 6-19 29-35 22 39 4 12 16