Russell Westbrook's Triple-Double Paces Thunder to Road Win vs. KAT, Timberwolves
Russell Westbrook tallied his 32nd triple-double of the year as the Oklahoma City Thunder earned a 132-126 win Sunday over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Westbrook finished with 27 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, while Paul George added 27 points in the road win at Target Center in Minneapolis. The win improves the Thunder to 47-33 as they keep pace with the Los Angeles Clippers in the race for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.
Minnesota dropped to 36-44 despite 35 points and seven rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Despite Additions, Thunder Will Live or Die with Russell Westbrook
The Thunder have built their team so they don't have to rely on one person to win games.
Paul George has been the best overall player on the roster this year during his best career season, while Dennis Schroder is one of the top sixth men in the NBA. Steven Adams, Jerami Grant and others have proved to be valuable commodities in the rotation as well.
However, the team is still going to live and die in the playoffs based on the play of Russell Westbrook.
The guard showed what he can do when things are going well, especially in the first quarter when he used his speed to finish off fast breaks with ease:
Westbrook almost had a triple-double in the first half alone with 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while giving the Thunder a 62-60 lead.
In the second half, he took a step back to allow other players to handle the spotlight.
George scored 21 of his 27 points after halftime, while Schroder had 14 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter alone.
When the team needed points down the stretch, however, it was Westbrook who scored the final seven for the Thunder.
His ability to step in or out of the game was key in this contest, and it's also a change of pace from what we have seen this year.
The eight-time All-Star has had another impressive season by the numbers, ready to finish the year averaging a triple-double for the third time.
However, his efficiency is lacking this year, and he entered the day ranked just 51st in the NBA in win shares, per Basketball Reference. His 49.8 true shooting percentage is his lowest since his second year in the league in 2009-10.
When he is on his game, Westbrook can help carry his team to victory against anyone in the NBA. If he takes a step back and makes plays for others, the Thunder are still dangerous heading into the first round.
However, the Westbrook who forces shots and makes bad decisions can sink the team in the postseason.
We still don't know who Oklahoma City will face in Round 1, but the team will be an underdog. The veteran guard needs to make sure he is helping his team toward an upset and not pushing his squad out of contention.
What's Next?
The Thunder will continue to jockey for playoff seeding with a matchup against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, their last home game of the regular season. The Timberwolves will also play their last home game Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors.
