OKLAHOMA CITY (Sporting Alert, Box Score) — Russell Westbrook scored 26 points on 50 percent shooting from the field to lead the Thunder to a 103-94 victory over the Cavaliers at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Thursday night.
The Cavs, which had its eight-game winning streak snapped, were playing without leading forward LeBron James, who missed the game because of soreness on his left knee.
Westbrook, who scored 16 of his total points in the first half, also dished out eight assists and pulled down seven rebounds in the victory for Oklahoma City (9-13), which now won for straight and six of its last seven games.
Kevin Durant recovered from a quiet start to scored 19 points, including the last eight points of the fourth quarter for the Thunder. He also grabbed six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals.
Kyrie Irving shook off a knee problem to score 20 points and six assists to lead the way in scoring for the Cavs (13-8), which collected a double-double of 18 points and 16 rebounds from Kevin Love.
Irving left the game in the second quarter with a left knee injury and had to be helped off the court, before James jogged out of the locker room to meet and assist the point guard down the tunnel.
He made a shaky return later during the second half and finished with 7 of 21 shooting.
Tristan Thompson had 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Matthew Dellavedova, who started in the James’ place and Dion Waiters each added 14 points for Cleveland in the defeat.
Waiters scored 12 points his 14 points in the first half.
After a close first half where both teams went into the locker room knotted at 47-47, the Thunder blew the game wide open in the second half with series of runs in the third and fourth quarters.
Oklahoma City took a 66-78 lead into the final quarter of the contest before extending that advantage to 17 points at 91-74 with 7:37 remaining.
The home side was never really tested thereafter, despite the Cavaliers coming as close as 95-92 with 2:00 left.
The Cavs shot 36.5 percent from the field and 32.1 from three-point range, but gave away 20 points from 15 turnovers.
OKC went 43.7 percent from the floor in the game, while outscoring Cleveland 48-28 in the paint.
Oklahoma City will next travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, while the Cavs are at New Orleans.
GAME INFORMATION
Flagrant Fouls: None
Technical Fouls: PLAYERS: 1 CLEVELAND ( Varejao 1 ), 1 OKLAHOMA CITY ( Adams 1 ) – TEAMS: None – COACHES: None
Officials: Eli Roe, Joe Crawford, Leon Wood
Attendance: 18,203
Time of Game: 2:26
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