Paul George made six 3-pointers while scoring 28 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 121-114 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.
Russell Westbrook contributed 23 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds for his 17th triple-double of the campaign. Carmelo Anthony added 19 points as the Thunder won for just the third time in the past nine games.
Andrew Harrison scored a career-best 28 points and went 5 of 5 from 3-point range for the Grizzlies, who have lost seven straight and nine of their past 10 games. Tyreke Evans had 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Jarell Martin added 17 points off the bench.
George has drained at least five 3-pointers in each of the past five games and is 27 of 55 from beyond the arc during that stretch.
Oklahoma City let a 20-point halftime lead trickle down to one but never gave up the advantage.
A dunk by Dillon Brooks with five minutes remaining pulled the Grizzlies within 104-103, but the Thunder responded with a 10-3 push. Anthony buried a jumper, Terrance Ferguson connected on a 3-pointer and George tacked on a dunk and a 3-pointer as Oklahoma City took a 114-106 advantage with 2:54 left.
Memphis again was within one when Evans drained a 3-pointer with 47.1 seconds left, but Anthony knocked down a 3-pointer of his own to make it 118-114 with 25.9 seconds to play. Westbrook sank two free throws and a technical -- called on Harrison -- with 5.7 seconds remaining to make it a seven-point margin.
George made three 3-pointers during a 16-2 second-quarter surge that helped the Thunder take a 73-53 halftime lead.
George had 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the half, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Oklahoma City shot 58.5 percent in the half and finished at 49.4 percent.
Memphis led 42-40 after Martin's basket with 8:09 left before the Thunder rattled off 10 straight points. JaMychal Green delivered a dunk for the Grizzlies prior to the spurt where George hit the three 3-pointers, the last making it 66-46 with 2:06 left.
Memphis whittled its halftime deficit down to 11 on a 3-pointer by Brooks with 5:46 left in the third quarter. Oklahoma City pushed the lead back out to 89-72 on Patrick Patterson's basket with 2:42 remaining before the Grizzlies closed with a 12-3 run to trail 92-84 entering the final stanza.
The Grizzlies shot 51.2 percent from the floor.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
