Thunder spoil Russell Westbrook's return to Oklahoma City
Embiid-less Sixers dispatch Celtics; Wiggins shines in T-Wolves win over Blazers; Cavs outlast Pistons in overtime
Friday 10 January 2020 06:08, UK
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and Chris Paul combined for 61 points as the Thunder hammered the Houston Rockets to spoil Russell Westbrook's return to Oklahoma City.
Houston Rockets 92-113 Oklahoma City Thunder
Russell Westbrook scored 34 points in his return to Oklahoma City, but the Thunder controlled the game from early to beat the Houston Rockets 113-92 on Thursday night.
Westbrook starred 11 seasons for the Thunder, helping Oklahoma City to nine playoff appearances and one NBA Finals, before being traded to the Rockets in the offseason. That trade, which sent Chris Paul and four draft picks to the Thunder, was the second major swap in an offseason of rebuilding for Oklahoma City. Less than a week before dealing Westbrook, the Thunder sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for second-year guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and veteran swingman Danilo Gallinari.
All of the players the Thunder received in those trades played big roles in Thursday's decisive win.
Gallinari led Oklahoma City with 23 points, Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 and Paul 18. The Thunder won for the seventh time in eight games.
While with the Thunder, Westbrook made a habit of running across the court after being introduced, and gesturing toward the adoring crowd. In his first game in Chesapeake Energy Arena as a visitor, Westbrook ran to the same corner after being introduced, raising his index finger high as the crowd gave him a lengthy ovation.
That ovation followed a video tribute by the Thunder to Westbrook's remarkable stint with Oklahoma City that included the 2016-17 Most Valuable Player award and three consecutive seasons averaging a triple-double.
But while the Thunder were welcoming to Westbrook before the game, they were plenty hostile once it got underway. Oklahoma City scored 37 first-quarter points to lead by 16, and the game was never closer than double figures the rest of the way.
Westbrook was 14-of-26 from the floor but the Rockets' other star, James Harden, was just 5-of-17 from the floor and 2-of-9 from behind the three-point line to finish with a season-low 17 points.
Houston were held under 100 points for just the second time this season. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Rockets.
Boston Celtics 98-109 Philadelphia 76ers
Josh Richardson scored 29 points and Ben Simmons added 19 points and nine rebounds as the host Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics 109-98.
Al Horford contributed 17 points and Tobias Harris had 16 for the Sixers, who played without All-Star center Joel Embiid. Earlier in the day, it was announced Embiid will have surgery Friday for a torn ligament on the fourth metacarpal on his left hand and be re-evaluated in one to two weeks. The Sixers improved to 18-2 at home.
The Celtics were led by Kemba Walker with 26 points. Marcus Smart added 24 and Jayson Tatum had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Boston has dropped three games in a row for the first time this season.
The Celtics bolted to a 51-36 lead with 5:05 left until half-time, before the Sixers responded with a 12-0 run to get within three. But Boston finished the half with consecutive baskets and took a 55-48 lead into the locker room.
After a quick basket by Boston to open the third, the Sixers came back with an 11-0 spurt to move ahead 59-57. Harris' hard-charging drive to the basket capped the run and caused Celtics head coach Brad Stevens to take a timeout.
The Celtics held an 80-77 advantage after three quarters, as Smart knocked down a deep trey from the wing with 4.2 seconds left.
Philadelphia regained the momentum and pushed ahead 94-87 with 6:02 to go when Horford completed a three-point play. Simmons missed a dunk on the Sixers' next possession, and Walker came back with a three-point play. Gordon Hayward then scored the next time down, and the Celtics got within 94-92 with 5:15 remaining.
After a hard foul by Smart, Richardson made two free throws for a 101-94 Philadelphia advantage with 3:08 left. On Philly's next possession, the lefty Simmons dropped in a right-handed hook for a nine-point lead.
Portland Trail Blazers 102-116 Minnesota Timberwolves
Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points and added a season-best eight assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled to a 116-102 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Minneapolis.
Robert Covington added 15 points, and Gorgui Dieng recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Jeff Teague had 12 points and six assists and Jarrett Culver added 12 points and six rebounds as Minnesota improved to 5-3 since ending a season-long 11-game losing streak.
Damian Lillard registered 20 points and eight assists for Portland, who lost for the seventh time in the past nine games. Hassan Whiteside added 15 points and 14 rebounds, CJ McCollum also had 15 points and Gary Trent Jr tallied 13.
The Timberwolves were without star center Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) for the 12th straight game.
Minnesota led by 12 at half-time and poured it on with a 41-point third quarter. Dieng's tip-in pushed the lead to 20 at 71-51 with 9:18 left in the third. Wiggins drained a three-pointer to increase the margin to 23, Shabazz Napier followed with a lay-up and Noah Vonleh added two free throws to make it 88-61 with 4:34 remaining. The 27-point lead would equal their highest of the night.
Vonleh scored on an acrobatic scoop shot to get Minnesota to 100, and the Timberwolves carried a 100-74 lead into the fourth quarter. Portland's reserves narrowed the deficit to as few as 13 in the final quarter as the club concluded a 2-3 road trip.
Cleveland Cavaliers 115-112 Detroit Pistons (OT)
Tristan Thompson poured in a career-high 35 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers finished overtime on a 9-2 run to defeat the host Detroit Pistons 115-112.
Kevin Love scored 17 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer, and had nine rebounds as the Cavaliers avenged a two-point loss to the Pistons on Tuesday. Darius Garland had 20 points and Collin Sexton tossed in 19 for Cleveland.
Andre Drummond racked up 28 points and 23 rebounds for Detroit. Derrick Rose scored 27 points off the bench and added seven rebounds and five assists. Bruce Brown finished with 17 points and eight assists.
Rose made a lay-up with 3:50 left in the overtime to give Detroit a 106-104 advantage. He made another after Cleveland tied it again. He then tossed in a bank shot for a four-point advantage.
The Cavaliers dominated the remainder of the game. Love made a hook shot and Garland had a lay-up. After Drummond missed inside, Love fired in a three-pointer to give Cleveland the lead for keeps.
Detroit had a chance to tie it in the final seconds, but Rose misfired on a three-point try.
