OKC Sweeps Season Series, Tops Portland 129-121 in OT

The Blazers fought tooth and nail, almost literally, but it wasn’t enough as Oklahoma City won in overtime 129-121.

Jusuf Nurkic is constantly battered and beaten up, but tonight was on another level.

Nurkic got an elbow to the face from Paul George and got launched when Russell Westbrook gave him an unexpected NFL-level shoulder-shove. However, it would be Nurkic who watched the end of the game in the locker room.

Nurkic finished with 13 points and 17 rebounds.

However, I’ve buried the lead for Portland. Damian Lillard scored 51 points and nearly pushed Portland over the top. Lillard’s fifth career 50-point game came on an efficient shooting night, 15-of-28 from the floor. Lillard also dished out eight assists.

Westbrook led the Thunder with 37 points, and George finished right behind with 32.

Notes:

• Tonight’s game vs. OKC was the first in Portland for Enes Kanter in a Blazer uniform.
• Nurkic ejected with two technical fouls; after his second came on offsetting technicals on himself and Paul George with 4.4 seconds remaining in regulation.
• OKC outscored Portland 16-8 in OT.
• OKC had five players in double figures; Portland had four (Lillard with 51, C.J. McCollum with 25, Nurkic with 13, Rodney Hood with 10) in double digits.

@1029TheGame