LOS ANGELES (AP) With Oklahoma City trying to store off yet another marquee team, procured impose - inside the huddle. He urged his / her Thunder teammates to stay their composure, collection woven screens and also enjoy defense.
They listened in addition to turned away a past due rally from the Los Angeles Clippers in order to acquire 108-104 on Sunday in a matchup connected with Western Conference contenders.
''It has been the best roads earn for many people inside a playoff-type atmosphere,'' explained Westbrook, which had 29 things and also 10 assists. ''We did a fantastic career with trying to keep their group out of the game.''
Kevin Durant added within 35 points along with Serge Ibaka possessed sixteen as Oklahoma City was concluded some sort of three-game road skid, bouncing back again under 48 hours after sacrificing at Denver. They likewise concluded a season sweep of the Clippers, who are following the actual Thunder and NBA-best San Antonio inside the West.
''We weren't from a stress mode,'' Westbrook said. ''We just wanted to win.''
Chris Paul scored 26 details along with Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford included 20 details apiece with regard to this Clippers, whose four-game earning streak concluded in their finally reduction to the Thunder the following season. Paul made most seven of his cost-free throws to aid their workforce visit nineteen pertaining to 22 in the line.
''We followed way up short, but it seemed for instance whenever something happened, most of us just would not overcome the hump,'' Paul said. ''They became the particular appropriate phone calls whenever they necessary them, nonetheless they played a excellent game.''
The referees had been occupied for considerably involving this day, having your Clippers called for 26 fouls on the Thunder's 22 inside a actual physical game that featured twice technicals on Caron Butler and Kendrick Perkins therefore to their verbal change and Ibaka's flagrant-1 break down on Griffin.
''It's always visiting become your tough, chippy game whenever most of us play these people since we have been the two quite physical coaches and teams having physical bigs, therefore there exists a lot involving pressuring and most of which down low,'' Griffin said. ''I imagine it really is tough in order to officiate as well as determine what in order to call up in addition to just what possibly not to, nevertheless they seemed to understand currently what to call.''
The Clippers experienced a number of people around potent problems while in the second half: Griffin, Butler, Lamar Odom along with Matt Barnes . Griffin fouled out with 59 mere seconds left. They journeyed 9 for 24 from 3-point range plus had 21 turnovers, which include sixteen within the first fifty percent - their most in a very one half this season.
''That's embarrassing. That's crazy. That's nothing like us,'' Paul said. ''In the 1st half, many people simply just managed a good employment connected with mucking the actual lane up. Every moment I came lower court, I observed a wall. They basically caught me into basketball screens. In the next half, we all produced L.O. throughout as well as we all resolved to go small, which will exposed the actual court up. And if we opened up this court up, all of us could get into your lane and also produce plays and fireplace upward shots.''
Los Angeles came around trailing your Thunder by a half-game for next from the West, although trialled from powering close to your entire game. The Clippers trimmed a 19-point debts in order to 82-73 towards the end in the third. Odom strike some sort of 3-pointer plus Paul completed a three-point perform to allow these individuals the actual momentum and get this group again on the game.
''There's not any such idea as moral wins to help us,'' Griffin said. ''We've been during this situation before, nevertheless we all don't want to put ourselves in this situation. We've reached always be better from will surface for you to beat a team like this.''
The Clippers outscored this Thunder 12-5 to be able to open the fourth. Paul had five points, like a traveling layup plus a floater in the lane around Durant. Griffin subsequently provided Crawford throughout the correct next corner for your 3-pointer of which kept that Clippers walking 91-90.
The Thunder responded having five straight points, nonetheless Los Angeles rallied again. Barnes reach back-to-back 3-pointers with a problem rebounds for getting this Clippers in just three. Ibaka chopped Griffin inside the suitable stylish previous to Barnes' second 3 or more journeyed in, with Griffin collapsing to be able to the court plus Ibaka acquiring the particular flagrant.
''It's basketball, man,'' Griffin said. ''Sometimes a person have points a bit far too far, but I wasn't provoking (Ibaka) and also anything like that.''
Said Thunder trainer Scott Brooks: ''It had been a scrum plus equally were being battling for position.''
A video review confirmed the call along with Griffin went to the line, absent the 1st along with creating your second. The Clippers maintained person and Crawford click a 3-pointer to allow these individuals their own earliest steer of the sport at 100-99 with 1:30 in order to play.
''He explained to us to help keep playing,'' Durant reported of Westbrook. ''Everyone while in the huddle seemed to be calm. We experienced a troublesome stretch out nonetheless it had been in relation to the best way we all bounced back.''
The Thunder obtained nine in the very last 13 points.
Brooks paid Westbrook to get instilling relaxed from the delayed going.
''His leadership is improving year by year along with it should be,'' he / she said. ''Tonight appeared to be your vintage example connected with just what exactly he's done. He's a strong developmental guy, but he maintains every thing together.''
The Thunder arrived at its very first double-digit steer while in the subsequent by carrying out a 12-2 manage of which achieved it 53-37. Durant plus Thabo Sefolosha strike back-to-back 3-pointers en tactic to your 54-41 lead at the break.
''We had been changing the actual tennis ball as well as executing a good employment of shutting this coloring up,'' Durant said. ''We removed several of these kinds of big-time plays.''
Besides the particular turnovers, your Clippers were being just 2 with 11 from 3-point range, absent four straight to help nearby the 2nd quarter.
NOTES: The Thunder enhanced that will 13-3 in online games trialled once a new loss. . The Clippers fell for you to 23-7 at home. . Griffin possesses 10 straight online games together with 16-plus points, seven-plus rebounds and two-plus assists, the longest these skills from the little league this kind of season.
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