OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Russell Westbrook had a career-high 22 assists in his 50th triple-double, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 114-101 on Saturday.
Westbrook also had 26 points and 11 rebounds for his 13th triple-double of the season. He had gone three games without one, yet the league’s leading scorer continues to average double figures in points, rebounds and assists.
Steven Adams had 19 points and seven rebounds and Enes Kanter added 12 points for Oklahoma City, which had dropped two in a row. Thunder guard Victor Oladipo, the team’s No. 2 scorer for the season, missed his third straight game with a right wrist sprain.
Devin Booker scored 31 points for the Suns, who have lost six of eight.
The Thunder led 54-39 at halftime. Westbrook had 12 assists before the break, a Thunder record for a half. He had six points on 3-for-6 shooting and six rebounds.
Phoenix’s first-half scoring total matched the lowest the Thunder have allowed in a half all season.
It took Westbrook a while to get to double figures in points - he finally got there on a free throw with 8:41 left in the third quarter. He was stuck on nine rebounds when he went to the bench with 2:35 left in the third. He scored 17 points in the period to help the Thunder take an 89-69 lead into the fourth.
Westbrook re-entered the game with 8:44 to play, and he got his 10th rebound within the first minute of his return.
TIP-INS
Suns: F T.J. Warren returned after missing 13 games with a head injury. He scored two points in 14:28. He scored 30 points when the teams met earlier this season. ... Booker is the only Phoenix player who scored more than 12 points.
Thunder: Anthony Morrow got his first start of the season in Oladipo’s place and scored 11 points in 21:20. ... Westbrook was issued a technical foul in the third quarter. ... Westbrook had 51 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 113-110 win over the Suns earlier in the season.
UP NEXT
Suns: Visit Minnesota on Monday night.
Thunder: Host Atlanta on Monday night.
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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP.