The Oklahoma City Thunder got another big performance out of their NBA MVP candidate Russell Westbrook. Not only did he achieve yet another triple-double for his stellar season, but the All-Star hit a clutch three in regulation to help send the game to an extra session. Westbrook continued his superstar play in the overtime to help lead his OKC Thunder team to their 114-106 win over the Orlando Magic. Here's how the game was won on Wednesday night thanks to Westbrook's performance.
OKC vs. Orlando game recap
In Wednesday's road game, Russell Westbrook finished with quite the stat line.
The OKC guard had 57 points on 21-of-40 shooting but also 11 assists and 13 rebounds in the win. Westbrook also jacked up 15 three-point shot attempts and hit six of them including the late three in regulation to tie the game up with seven seconds remaining. His game concluded with not only his 38th triple-double this season, but a win for his squad. Teammate Enes Kanter had 17 points and ten boards, while Victor Oladipo added 13 points in his return to his former arena.
On the losing side, it was Evan Fournier with 24 points and Terrence Ross with 23. Nicola Vucevic recorded a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 16 boards. The Orlando Magic led by double-digits after three-quarters, but were unable to keep that lead due to Westbrook entering "Beast Mode." For the game, both teams shot over 40 percent from the field and 30 percent three-point shooting, but the MVP candidate was the difference in this latest contest.
NBA standings and what's next
The win moved the Oklahoma City Thunder to 43-31 for the season. They've clinched a playoff spot already and are currently holding the No. 6 seed. However, the Los Angeles Clippers at 44-31 are just a game above them, while the Utah Jazz (45-29) are just two games ahead. A lot could change down the stretch of the remaining schedule.
The Thunder take on San Antonio at home in a big game on Friday night starting at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.
The Orlando Magic are now 27-48. The team has already statistically been eliminated from the East's NBA Playoff picture along with Philadelphia, New York, and Brooklyn, who are mostly headed for high NBA draft picks this summer. Next up on Orlando's schedule is a Friday night away game against the Boston Celtics starting at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.