Westbrook Westbrook Westbrook, Thunder beat the Sixers 123-118

BOX SCORE

Six days ago, Russell Westbrook had a dent in his face.

Four days ago, he had surgery to fix the dent in his face.

Tonight, he had a career-high 49 points, a career-high 16 rebounds and 10 assists. His fourth straight triple-double, something that hasn’t been done since Michael Jordan in 1989.

“For those of you, including myself, that thought Russell might need a couple of games to get used to wearing the mask,” Scott Brooks said, “we were wrong.”

Westbrook was sick. He was absurd. He was filthy. He was ridiculous. He was Russell Freaking Westbrook. Would the mask bother him? Would he play tentatively? Would he hold back?

Nah, man. Nah.

“I mean it was weird, obviously, kept wiping it and it was a total, big process of trying to keep everything from not falling and all this stuff,” Westbrook said. “But that’s not going to stop me. My job is to come out there and lead my team.”

It took overtime to get there, and it was most definitely a different path than the triple-double Westbrook dropped on the 76ers a year ago today, where he accomplished it in 20 minutes. He needed 42 to get there this time, but with it was one of those performances that like Brett Brown, you just step back, shake your head, and appreciate.

“You walk a line of frustration and one where you become a fan,” Brown said. “You look at that and scratch your head. He delivers there, and you blink, and he’s stealing a kick-ahead pass. So incredibly gifted and so competitive. It’s a fantastic combination.”

It was clear early that Westbrook was ready to pick up where he left off in Portland. The Thunder started sluggishly, but a simple inbound to Westbrook with 3:30 left in the first quarter turned into a 94-foot coast-to-coast two-hand smash, and the Thunder were off to close the quarter on a 20-2 run. Westbrook finished the first with 16-6-3.

It seemed the 20-2 run turned the engine on and put the Thunder on the road to cruise town. Instead, Isaiah Canaan and the Sixers three more quarters to play. The Sixers went up by as many as 16 in the second half, and wouldn’t you know it, it was when Westbrook went to the bench late in the third that the Thunder closed the quarter on an 8-0 run to get back into the game. That extended out to an 18-0 burst, and the Thunder appeared to finally be putting this one behind them.

They led 108-99 with two minutes left after an incredible sequence by Westbrook that included an offensive rebound and putback, a flying steal, and a dagger jumper. The Sixers had more answers in the form of wild 3s to force the game into overtime. The Thunder were obviously at fault in multiple ways, specifically defensive lapses, but you have to hand it to those pesky 76ers. Even in overtime when they went the first three and a half minutes without a point to trail 117-110, they came back with six straight to put pressure on OKC.

Westbrook, though, answered the bell time after time. He wasn’t losing. He wasn’t about to stand in the locker room after THAT performance and answer questions about losing. He did that after the last two triple-doubles, and the thought of someone popping off that the Thunder are 1-3 in his fourth straight was enough to probably fuel him even more.

Now, it was pretty obvious in the fourth Westbrook was gunning for that 10th assist, working hard to set him teammates out of the pick-and-roll. He then got sick of watching them fluff shots or fumble passes, so he said eff it and just went and took the game himself.

It was a much more difficult-than-anticipated night in OKC, but the Thunder got the result they had to have. A lot of people wondered if Westbrook even needed to play this one with the lowly Sixers in town, but apparently so. They have another one in Chicago some 20 hours from now, and they’re going to have to put something together again. But I can promise you one guy that’s going to show up. He’ll be the one in the mask.

NOTES:

• Let’s get this out of the way: YES IT WAS THE 76ERS. But geez, 49-16-10 is what it is.

• Westbrook is the first player since Michael Jordan in 1989 to record four consecutive triple-doubles. Only five other players have ever done it: Maurice Stokes, Jordan, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, the Oscar Robertson.

• Westbrook on being mentioned with MJ, Oscar and those guys: “It’s definitely a blessing man, but more importantly, I think it’s important than we’re winning. We’re winning games and that’s the most important part.”

• One thing Westbrook doesn’t have down quite yet: Shooting free throws during MVP chants. Gotta work on that.

• Westbrook on what he was thinking at the free throw line with the MVP chants: “Make ’em. If I could make some maybe we wouldn’t be sitting here at this time right now. That’s all.”

• How about that ATO Scott Brooks drew up in the first quarter? Inbound to Westbrook, watch him go 94 feet for a dunk. That’s why he’s Coach of the Month, guys.

• Thunder starters had 61 points tonight. Westbrook had 49 of them.

• Who took Serge’s water? More like who took Serge’s PRODUCTION, amirite you guys? YOU GUYS?

• I will say this about Ibaka: Yes, two points, two rebounds and six fouls in 31 minutes is bad, but he had four blocks and some critical rim protection in the fourth quarter and overtime.

• Here’s the thing about those two late 3s by the Sixers: What do the Thunder do? Hollis Thompson’s was basically a prayer it was contested so well, and Richardson’s was from darn near 30 feet. They were just two great shots.

• A quiet takeaway: The Thunder won a game in which non-Westbrook starters combined for 12 points. Yes, Westbrook was absurd, but the reason they survived is the play of the bench.

• Big kudos to Dion Waiters. He stepped up with his first Thunder double-double, going for 20 points (on 9-15 shooting) with 10 rebounds and three assists. The Thunder don’t win this game without his offensive spark in the second half.

• Here’s the thing I’ve been saying about him: He’s the Thunder’s first Irrational Confidence Guy (unless you count Westbrook). I think I’m on record as saying I don’t think he’s going to necessarily lose the Thunder a game. But he has the ability to win one. I can picture plenty of 4-12 playoff games, but I can also see a random 22-point night in a Game 5 that’s critical.

• Another big bench player: Mitch McGary put in some excellent minutes. He had six points and five rebounds in 21 minutes, but he played wild and energetic, chasing down a wide open layup, taking a charge, keeping offensive rebounds alive. He played a big part.

• Anthony Morrow was somehow a +34 in 15 minutes in an overtime game.

• There’s no doubt Morrow needed more time tonight. He had nine points in two minutes in the first quarter. He got three 3-point attempts in the second half and missed them all.

• Starting shooting guard Andre Roberson played 12 minutes.

• Mindless move by Brooks on the Thunder’s last possession of regulation having Roberson in the game. Really, there’s no reason whatsoever for it. There was a timeout to sub, and if the Sixers got a stop, they were taking a timeout so you could go offense-defense. I have no idea what the logic was here. Offensive rebounding? Nah, still, terrible move.

• Westbrook might have been gunning for that 10th assist, but honestly, the Thunder ran some great offense even with that. Maybe he needs to get to nine assists more often in crunchtime.

• Enes Kanter was a non-factor — eight points and five rebounds in 21 minutes. He had trouble holding position on the block and missed a number of interior looks. And rightfully so, Brooks didn’t go with him down the stretch. Thought that was a smart move to rely on Nick Collison and Ibaka. And showed Brooks isn’t locking himself into playing Kanter regardless of situation.

• Pregame, Brooks was asked about if he’s thought about what he’ll do when Steven Adams returns. Brooks said he knows what he’s going to do already, but of course, wasn’t sharing.

• Westbrook took a couple shots in the face. Hard to really say any were intentionally, but they definitely happened.

• Brooks on Westbrook: “It’s hard for me to say this because he had 49 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, but his best job tonight was when he kept his composure throughout the game when we were down 16 and he was encouraging his teammates. They need that. We all need that. And I thought he did a good job of really locking in with his leadership.”

• There’s no other way to describe it: Monty McCutchen calls fouls with the douchiest face.

• D.J. Augustin another big bench part. He had 17 in 37 minutes and his a big overtime 3, the one that gave Westbrook his 10th assist.

• One thing about Waiters tonight: His shots tonight were MUCH better. A few feet closer than usual, and it made a big difference. He still fired up plenty of the long step-backs, but he got to the rim and finished three — THREE! — layups and didn’t settle for 20-footers, but instead got them in the 12-16 foot range.

• Naturally, Isaiah Canaan had the game of his life tonight. Because why wouldn’t he?

• Brett Brown is awesome. Seriously. That guys needs some good players to coach.

• Steve Novak in a mask. That’s all.

Next up: At the Bulls on Thursday