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 In a highly competitive game for most of three quarters, the Thunder
(36-29) gained control in the fourth and handed the Timberwolves
(14-50) their third loss in a row.
Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook, who was named Western
Conference Player of the Month, caught fire in the fourth quarter
and scored 15 points. He finished with a triple-double of 29 points,
12 assists and 10 rebounds on 11-of-23 shooting from the field.
"It just goes back to something I said two or three games ago, when
we get a lead of six or eight points, we have to do a good job of
closing the game out," Westbrook said of his fourth-quarter
outburst.
Recently acquired center Enes Kanter was a consistent source of
offense throughout the game, scoring eight points in the first
quarter and producing a double-double of 23 points and 15 rebounds
for the Thunder.
"He's an ox," Oklahoma City rookie forward Mitch McGary said.
Thunder forward Kevin Durant is scheduled to be out one to two more
weeks as he continues recovery from a surgical procedure on his
foot, and forward Serge Ibaka sat out Friday with knee soreness,
thrusting McGary into the starting lineup.
"I look at it like a strength of our team," Thunder coach Scott
Brooks said of the various starting lineups the team has used this
year. "We've had guys step up all season long. But we still have
some time to get better. We've always had that 'grow every day'
mentality."
Minnesota was playing with some significant players sidelined by
injury. Forward Kevin Garnett and center Nikola Pekovic, both
normally in the starting lineup, missed the game.
"Yeah, it was just too much," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said.
"On the road, we just didn't have enough when it boiled down to it."
Minnesota's Rookie of the Year candidate Andrew Wiggins was 10 of 10
from the free throw line in the first quarter but only got there
twice the rest of the game and struggled from the field. He made
only 4 of 13 and scored 19 points.
Oklahoma City led for a majority of the game, with Minnesota's only
leads coming in the second quarter when the Timberwolves went on a
12-0 run midway through the quarter. The Thunder led 55-49 at the
half.
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The Timberwolves kept the game close through much of the third
quarter, but point guard Ricky Rubio left the game with an apparent
ankle injury. Rubio did not return and finished with seven points
and four assists. Rookie point guard and slam dunk champion Zach
LaVine ran the offense in his place.
The Thunder held an opponent below 100 points for the first time in
eight games. McGary attributed the improvement to increased
cohesion.
"We just communicated better," McGary said. "It's always better to
communicate and talk things out. We got some stops."
Oklahoma City had five players score in double figures. In addition
to Kanter and Westbrook, guard D.J. Augustin had 13 points and
forward Dion Waiters and McGary scored 12 each.
Center Gorgui Dieng was the leading scorer for Minnesota with 21
points and 14 rebounds. Center Justin Hamilton added 17 points (a
career-high) and 10 rebounds off the bench.
NOTES: Oklahoma City PF Serge Ibaka missed his first game of the
season with right knee soreness and is day to day. Ibaka averaged 13
points, 11.5 rebounds and two blocked shots in Oklahoma City's two
victories over Minnesota. ... Minnesota SG Kevin Martin missed the
first two games against his former team. Martin played one season
for Oklahoma City, which acquired him from Houston for G James
Harden. ... The Minnesota Timberwolves have not finished the season
with a winning record since 2004-05, which was the last season of
current coach Flip Saunders' first stint on the bench.
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