Los Angeles (AFP)
Russell Westbrook achieved the first “triple-double” in his career in the shirt of his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers, but it did not prevent the guest’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-123, while the defending Milwaukee Bucks fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-113, despite the brilliance of the first star. Greek Yannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 points in the NBA on Wednesday.
At Baycom Arena in Oklahoma City, and in the absence of Lakers star “King” LeBron James due to an ankle problem, veteran Westbrook shone in the attacking side of his team alongside Anthony Davis, scoring 20 points, along with 13 assists and 14 rebounds.
The referee expelled the former Thunder star Westbrook, “he played with him between 2008 and 2019”, two seconds before the end, after he objected to an exhibition crushing basket from Darius Bazley.
However, Westbrook and Davis, who finished the match with 30 points and 8 rebounds, were unable to prevent Oklahoma from a great comeback after trailing by 26 points, before the break, to end the game with an 8-point lead.
The Lakers had a record-breaking match in their records, winning 230 games, including the playoffs, after advancing by at least 25 points in the last 25 seasons, before suffering their first loss.
The Lakers, 17-times league champions, scored 41 points in the first quarter and looked set to win with a 72-56 lead at the end of the first half.
However, Oklahoma turned the table on its guest in the third quarter, scoring 41 points compared to 23 for the Lakers, before leading for the first time in the game 97-96 in the last quarter.
Derek Fayvers gave his team Oklahoma 118-115 31.2 seconds before the final whistle, to fail the Lakers 3 shots in a row in the deadly seconds, while the host team tightened its grip on the victory.
“It’s a disappointing loss,” said Lakers coach Frank Vogel. “We took our feet off the pedals, after such a big lead in the first quarter, you usually keep it, but we couldn’t make it.”
And he added: “Our focus, our ferocity and our effort have decreased on the defensive side, but we have learned the lesson. We cannot take our feet off the pedal against any team.”
Canadian winner Shay Gilgos-Alexander emerged as the top scorer with 26 points, while Australian Josh Gedi and Basley added 18 points each.
Oklahoma achieved its first win this season against 4 defeats, and remained at the bottom of the Western Region teams’ standings, while the Lakers received their third loss for two wins.
In Milwaukee, the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks were no better, as they fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-113, despite their Greek star Antetokounmpo scoring 40 points, picking up 16 rebounds and passing 7 crucial balls.
D’Angelo Russell led the efficiency of Minnesota with 29 points, while Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns added 25 points each, in a meeting where their team advanced from start to finish and scored 44 points in the first quarter.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer praised his guest’s performance, saying: “All credit to Minnesota, who scored 44 points, it doesn’t matter who plays. We have a lot of work to do.”
In a third match, Pam Adebayo led his Miami Heat team to beat its host Brooklyn Nets 106-93 in a “heavyweight” meeting in the Eastern Province.
Adebayo was one of five players who scored 10 points and more, in a fierce struggle that witnessed the Heat’s ability to return to the match after falling behind by 8 points at the beginning of the third quarter, before increasing its progress in the last quarter.
Jimmy Butler scored 17 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists, and Anthony Leon Tucker added 15 points.
Among the losers, Kevin Durant emerged as the best scorer with 25 points, while Joe Harris added 15, while James Harden was satisfied with 14 to 7 assists and rebounds.
In Boston, the Celtics, still waiting for their first home win of the season, suffered another loss to the Washington Wizards 107-116.
Substitute Montrezel Harrell led the Wizards with 25 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie added 22.
The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 79-92 for the second time in their third meeting, although the duo Reggie Jackson and Nicholas Batum scored 16 points each in the losing ranks.
.