Westbrook has another triple-double, Thunder beat Jazz
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum (11) shoots in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, right, in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Saturday, March 11, 2017. Oklahoma City won.
OKLAHOMA CITY >> Russell Westbrook had 33 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds for his 32nd triple-double of the season, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 112-104 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
Westbrook broke a tie with Wilt Chamberlain (1967-68) for the second-most triple-doubles in a season. Oscar Robertson set the record of 41 in 1961-62.
Victor Oladipo added 22 points to help the Thunder win for the third time in four regular-season meetings with the Jazz.
Utah was without center Rudy Gobert and forward Derrick Favors because of leg soreness, and Gordon Hayward played only 21 minutes, finishing with nine points — 13 below his average.
The Thunder opened the second half with a 14-5 run to take a 23-point lead. Westbrook had four assists during the spurt.
Utah cut the deficit to seven points twice in the final seven minutes and had it down to six with 1:18 to go. Westbrook had a driving dunk with 37 seconds to restore the double-digit advantage.
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Utah coach Quin Snyder used his entire available roster. Dante Exum scored 22 points on 7-for-8 shooting. He played a team-high 27 minutes. Alec Burks added 21 points.
The Thunder shot 50 percent from the field (43 for 86). Westbrook went 9 for 26 and connected on 12 of 13 free-throw attempts.
Utah went 36 for 75 (48 percent). It hung around by going 9 for 20 from 3-point range. But the Jazz missed their final three 3-point attempts.
TIP-INS
Jazz: Guard George Hill returned after missing two games with a toe injury. Snyder said the six days of rest helped the nine-year veteran guard as well. Hill has missed 27 games this season due to injury or coach’s decision. … The loss ended the Jazz’s four-game winning streak and a two-game road winning streak.
Thunder: Forward Taj Gibson, who played in his ninth game since being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, was limited to 21 minutes due to a sore hip. … Oklahoma City is 5-1 in Saturday games this season. … The Thunder improved to 26-6 when Westbrook has a triple-double this season.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, their only home game during a six-game stretch.
Thunder: Try to end a seven-game road losing streak at Brooklyn on Tuesday.
