A 16-0 fourth quarter run, and stifling defense, helped the Blazers overcome 45 points from Russell Westbrook.
The Portland Trail Blazers, spurred on by a 16-0 run late in the fourth quarter, defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 114-109 at the Moda Center on Thursday night.
Thunder Guard Russell Westbrook came into the game looking for a fifth consecutive triple-double, but came up short with “only” 45 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Westbrook’s point total, however, is deceiving - he scored only 5 in the fourth quarter on 2-for-11 shooting, despite being one of the best clutch players in the NBA this season. The other four Thunder starters combined to score only 12 points.
The Blazers, on the other hand, had a well-balanced team effort with six players in double figures. Jusuf Nurkic, playing his first home game as a Blazer, had a huge impact in the paint and finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, a career-high 6 assists, and 5 blocks. Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 33 points.