Thunder Struggle To Keep Up With Cavaliers In Double-Digit Loss

<p>Russell Westbrook tallied his 24th triple-double of the season but it wasn’t enough as the Thunder fell to the Cavaliers, 107-91. </p>

Sunday, January 29th 2017, 6:14 pm

By: Brett Coppenbarger

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Thunder Struggle To Keep Up With Cavaliers In Double-Digit Loss

Russell Westbrook tallied his 24th triple-double of the season but it wasn’t enough as the Thunder fell to the Cavaliers, 107-91.

Westbrook finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to record his first career triple-double against Cleveland (32-14), but falls to 3-17 all-time against LeBron James.

OKC played well throughout the early parts of the first quarter and took a 22-15 lead after an impressive Victor Oladipo finger roll, but things went south as soon as Russell Westbrook went to the bench for a breather.

Without the services of Enes Kanter to lead the second unit, the Thunder (28-20) was outscored 16-to-6 while Westbrook was on the bench. But even when Westbrook checked back in, the momentum had already swung too far in the Cavaliers favor. After the score was tied at 43-43 with 2:54 left until halftime, the Cavaliers ripped off a 15-to-2 run to close the quarter and take a 13-point lead into intermission.

The Thunder made things interesting after a 10-to-0 run early in the third, but the Cavs responded with a 15-to-4 run to take a commanding 19-point lead and never let OKC get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Kyrie Irving was incredible throughout the whole game, finishing with 29 points and 10 assists while James added 25 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Love only tallied one point but didn’t play in the second half due to back spasms.

Oladipo scored 17 points for the Thunder and Domantas Sabonis had a solid game with 12 points and five rebounds. Joffrey Lauvergne was given most of the minutes Kanter usually plays and finished with 13 points and six rebounds off the bench. The Thunder as a team shot 37 percent from the field and only made 6-of-26 3-point attempts.

Basic basketball sense would indicate that when Westbrook and Oladipo shoot a combined 29 % from the field, well, OKC is gonna lose.
— Lee Benson (@LeeBensonNews9) January 29, 2017

The Thunder will be back in action on Tuesday when it takes on the Spurs in San Antonio.

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Russell Westbrook tallied his 24th triple-double of the season but it wasn’t enough as the Thunder fell to the Cavaliers, 107-91.

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