OKLAHOMA CITY — It has been nearly 10 years since the Sixers beat the Thunder, and they will have to wait until next season to try to break that skid.
The Thunder topped the Sixers, 122-112, Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena to hand the Sixers’ their 18th straight loss in the matchup.
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The trio of Russell Westbrook (37 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds) Paul George (31 points, four rebounds and four assists) and Steven Adams (20 points, 13 rebounds) propelled the Thunder’s (29-20) current win streak to eight.
Joel Embiid (27 points, 10 rebounds) and Ben Simmons (22 points, seven assists and four rebounds) led the Sixers (24-21).
A 101-tie halfway through the fourth turned into a Thunder domination to close the game. The Thunder scored 21 points in the final six minutes.
The Sixers have not won against the Thunder since Nov. 15, 2008, and are victory-less on the road dating back to Dec. 31, 2007, when the Thunder were the SuperSonics.
• Turnover check: The Sixers committed 18 (which the Thunder converted into 25 points), including seven in the third.
• Westbrook plays with an intensity that’s visible from any vantage point, but especially when the press seats at Chesapeake Energy Arena are courtside.
• The Sixers are 0-12 this season when giving up 114 points or more.
• Both teams were attacking the basket with driving dunks, it was no surprise they scored a combined 106 points in the paint (Thunder 62, Sixers 44).
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• Third quarter problems snuck back in for the Sixers. They were up 75-68 with 7:33 to go in the quarter before the Thunder went on a 13-4 run to take back the lead. The Sixers trailed 92-83 going into fourth after Westbrook and George combined for 24 of the Thunder’s 35 third-quarter points. The Sixers scored 25.
• JJ Redick (leg) and Jerryd Bayless (wrist) were sidelined again. Andre Roberson suffered a season-ending left patellar tendon injury in the Thunder’s previous game.
• Embiid has been told by the Sixers staff he is available to play in Monday’s game against the Bucks, which would be his first career back-to-back, depending on how he feels after this game (see story). Brett Brown said Embiid’s minutes against the Thunder (36) would not be based on the possibility of him playing the next day.
• Richaun Holmes got playing time in a four-five duo alongside Embiid.
Trevor Booker left the game in the second half with right knee discomfort and returned to the bench, available to play.