The Sports Xchange
Dec 15, 2017
PHILADELPHIA -- Russell Westbrook registered 27 points, 17 rebounds and 15 assists and the Oklahoma City Thunder outlasted the Philadelphia 76ers in three overtimes 119-117 Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Westbrook shot 10 of 33 yet managed to notch his 10th triple-double of the season and the 89th of his career.
Paul George and Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points apiece for the Thunder, who improved to .500 at 14-14 with their third straight road win. It was also their 17th consecutive win over the Sixers.
Raymond Felton had 14 for the Thunder, who shot 47 of 113.
Joel Embiid led the Sixers (14-14) with 34 points while playing a career-high 48 minutes. J.J. Redick scored 19 points and Dario Saric added 16. Jerryd Bayless had 14 points and Ben Simmons had 12 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.
Robert Covington returned after missing two games with a bruised lower back but struggled mightily on the offensive end with 11 points, going 4 of 21, including 3 of 15 from 3-point land.
The Sixers launched a season-high 46 3-pointers but only made 13 in their first triple-overtime game since 1992 against the Miami Heat.
Oklahoma City led 81-77 after three quarters and went up 84-77 when Josh Huestis opened the fourth with a 3-pointer from the baseline.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Felton and George pushed the Thunder's advantage to 90-81 with 7:16 left.
Saric dropped in a 3-pointer from the top of the key to close the gap to 94-92 with 1:55 remaining. On the Sixers' next possession, Embiid found Simmons open down low for a dunk to tie the game at 94 with 53.1 seconds left.
Embiid turned the ball over and George missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
In a wild first overtime, the Sixers went ahead 102-97 only to have the Thunder score five straight to equalize again at 102 with 36.3 seconds remaining. Westbrook's driving layup tied the game once again.
Saric tossed up an airball as time expired and the game went into a second overtime.
Following a turnover by Simmons, Westbrook knocked down a short jumper for a 111-109 lead with 1:33 left, but Embiid scorted to tie it.
Andre Roberson missed a point-blank layup in the closing seconds and the game moved into a third overtime.
The game knotted at 117 with 27.2 seconds left before Roberson connected on a layup after receiving Westbrook's 15th assist for a two-point lead with 9.6 seconds left.
The Thunder had jumped out to a 17-point lead with 5:45 remaining in the first half, but the Sixers fought their way back.
NOTES: The Sixers played without Gs Markelle Fultz (shoulder) and Justin Anderson (shin splints). F Trevor Booker injured his left ankle during the third quarter and never returned. X-rays were negative. ... Thunder G/F Andre Roberson returned after missing the last two games with a sprained left ankle. ... The Sixers entered the game last in the league in turnovers, averaging more than 17 per game. They had 26 in Tuesday's overtime win at Minnesota.