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National Basketball Association
Oklahoma City 120, L.A. Clippers 108
When: 9:30 PM ET, Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Officials: #42 Eric Lewis, #23 Jason Phillips, #40 Leon Wood
Attendance: 18203

OKLAHOMA CITY -- For much of the season, Oklahoma City struggled to hold onto leads. No team has squandered more fourth-quarter advantages than the Thunder.

The most epic of those defeats came last week against the Los Angeles Clippers, when the Thunder let a 17-point advantage disappear. Facing the same team Wednesday, it looked as if Oklahoma City was in store for the same type of meltdown.

However, record-setting performances from the Thunder's dynamic duo of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant gave Oklahoma City a 120-108 victory over the Clippers at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

"We knew we could beat this team," Durant said. "We knew we a week ago threw it away. We got great shots and we defended as well (tonight). This team is really good at getting back into the game, but we gave them that last game. Tonight we took it."

Westbrook posted 25 points, 20 assists and 11 rebounds to lead Thunder. It was Westbrook's 11th triple-double of the season, tying him with the Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green for the NBA lead.

The last player to have a triple-double with at least 25 points and 20 assists was Magic Johnson in 1988, the same year Westbrook was born.

"I'm blessed," Westbrook said. "Just happy to be able to play the game I love."

Durant scored 30 and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Thunder. It was his seventh consecutive double-double, the longest streak of his career, and his fourth straight game of at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Serge Ibaka added 15 points for the Thunder (44-20).

Jeff Green paced the Clippers (41-22) with 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting. J.J. Redick added 22 points, and Chris Paul tallied 12 points and 16 assists.

However, Paul was frustrated with the Clippers' defense.

"They got a little bit of everything tonight," Paul said of the Thunder. "They got shots they wanted, they got threes, they got layups. We gave up a little bit of everything."

After Oklahoma City led by as much as 19 points, the Clippers cut the deficit to 111-99.

Durant drained a 3-pointer to slow the momentum. Paul hit a pair of free throws before Oklahoma City's Andre Roberson connected on a layup.

Los Angeles came up empty on consecutive trips, and Thunder center Steven Adams threw down a dunk to put the game out of reach with two minutes left.

Led by Durant, the Thunder outrebounded the Clippers 52-29.

"I have always been a rebounder," Durant said. "Along with my scoring, people don't notice that I can rebound. So I try to get in there and help my bigs out. Russell does a great job of helping us out as well."

Westbrook was in a giving mood early on. The first six Oklahoma City buckets all came off assists from Westbrook. He finished the first quarter with eight assists as the Thunder held a 39-29 advantage.

Just as in the team's matchup last week, the Clippers' offense got off to a slow start. Center DeAndre Jordan was the focus of the team's offense until coach Billy Donovan called for the Thunder to start intentionally fouling the career 42 percent free-throw shooter.

At that point, Crawford and Green took over the scoring load for Los Angeles. They combined to score 26 points in the first half, but the Clippers still trailed 64-62 at the break.

"They played downhill all night," Paul said. "They got to the free-throw line more than we did. That's that. We gave up 39 in the first quarter and 60 something in the first half. We just never impacted the game defensively. Russ went wherever he wanted to. That's on me. We have to do better."

With Thunder guard Dion Waiters missing the game, Anthony Morrow and Cameron Payne got a chance to see action. Neither had been part of the Oklahoma City game plan since the All-Star break, and they combined for just five points Wednesday.

The trio of Westbrook, Durant and Ibaka carried the Thunder throughout the second half, but it was Westbrook's night that stood out to Clippers coach Doc Rivers.

"He was great," Rivers said. "I mean, he didn't have a lot of resistance, though, you know. We were sending him certain ways and there was nobody there to help. But he still has to do it, and you can do half the league and play with wrong coverage and they still can't get those numbers. So give Westbrook credit."

NOTES: Oklahoma City G Dion Waiters missed the game against the Clippers after his 21-year old brother, Demetrius Pinckney, was found dead in Philadelphia on Tuesday night. Pinckney's death is being investigated as a homicide. ... Thunder F Kevin Durant said his team has to stick together as it faces another tragedy. "That's how life throws it at you sometimes," Durant said. "Definitely unfortunate to go through it, but the only thing we can do is continue to stick together as an organization, as a family and help everyone through this." ... Despite an off-court altercation that broke his hand, Los Angeles F Blake Griffin is still in the running to make the USA Olympic team, according to USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo. "I don't judge people based on that," Colangelo said at the U.S. Olympic media summit.
Top Game Performances
 
L.A. Clippers   Oklahoma City
Jeff Green 23 Scoring Kevin Durant 30
Chris Paul 16 Assists Russell Westbrook 19
DeAndre Jordan 7 Rebounds Kevin Durant 12
J.J. Redick 5 Free Throws Made Russell Westbrook 7
Chris Paul 5 Steals Enes Kanter 2
Jeff Green 1 Blocks Randy Foye 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
L.A. Clippers 108 50.6 12-34 14-23 29 29 4 11 10
Oklahoma City 120 52.7 9-24 15-18 33 52 2 6 16
Upcoming Games
  • Oklahoma City will play their next game at home against Minnesota. The Thunder have a W/L % of .705 after a win and .650 after a loss.
  • L.A. Clippers will play their next game at home against New York. The Clippers have a W/L % of .619 after a win and .714 after a loss.