OKLAHOMA CITY — Russell Westbrook scored 31 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 117-114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Westbrook shot 12 of 22 from the field to go along with 11 assists and five steals. Forward Serge Ibaka collected 16 points, nine rebounds and a key block in the win for the Thunder (8-6).
Guard Deron Williams led the Mavericks (9-5) with 20 points and six assists. Guard Wesley Matthews added 18 points while forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting.
Guard Andre Roberson gave the Thunder a 102-101 lead with 5:30 left in the game. But center Zaza Pachulia completed a 3-point play to put Dallas up by two.
After Westbrook knocked in a shot, Nowitzki answered with back to back jumpers to gives the Mavs a four point advantage with 3:39 on the clock.
On a pass from Westbrook, guard Dion Waiters buried a corner 3-pointer to cut lead down to 108-107. Pachulia missed a pair of free throws and Ibaka made the Mavs pay when he hit a mini-hook shot. Waiters then came up with a steal and layup to put the Thunder up by three with 2:19 remaining.
Westbrook picked up a steal on the next possession and finished with a two-handed dunk. But guard Wesley Matthews hit a 3-pointer to stop the run. A put back by guard J.J. Barea tied the contest at 113-113.
A Westbrook jumper put the Thunder back on top by two. After getting a defensive stop, he had a chance to extend to four, but missed the jumper. Pachulia got the rebound and was fouled. He missed 1-of-2 and the Mavericks were down one.
But Westbrook calmly walked down his defender and buried a midrange jumper with 24 seconds left to give Oklahoma City a three-point lead.
Dallas tried to answer with Williams. But his shot was off the mark and center Steven Adams grabbed the board and was fouled.
However, he missed both free throws, giving the Mavs a chance to tie the contest with 17.2 seconds left. But, Williams drove too close to Ibaka and he swatted his shot out of bounds. Dallas turned the ball over after throwing it in and Westbrook dribbled the clock out.
NOTES: Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant missed his sixth straight game with a strained left hamstring. “All reports I got today, he is really moving in a good direction,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “Hopefully he will be back in a few days. Right now I think everything is progressing in a very, very positive way. He continues to do more each day.” … Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said F Chandler Parsons and G Wesley Matthews will continue to be on a minutes restrictions after recently returning from injuries. … Thunder G Dion Waiters earned a second straight start with his defense Friday against New York. “The thing I was most pleased with Dion in the game, he had a rough night shooting the ball, but I don’t feel he let it impact his defense at all,” Donovan said. “It was his best defensive game of the year.”