NBA

Russell Westbrook's 17th triple-double lifts Thunder past Nuggets

AP
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Russell Westbrook had 32 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists for his 17th triple-double of the season and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 121-106 on Saturday night.

Westbrook made seven 3-pointers after hitting a career-high eight Thursday at Houston, and matched his season high in rebounds in the 54th triple-double of his career. The Thunder improved to 32-3 the past two seasons when Westbrook gets a triple-double.

Steven Adams scored 16 points and Victor Oladipo added 15 for the Thunder, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

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Wilson Chandler scored 24 points and Will Barton added 21 for the Nuggets. Danilo Gallinari, Denver's leading scorer for the season, finished with 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting.

It was Denver's fifth consecutive loss, and the Nuggets allowed at least 120 points in all of them.

The game was tied at 60 at halftime. Westbrook had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists at the break, while Chandler had 19 points for the Nuggets.

Westbrook reached double figures in rebounds early in the third quarter. He sat down for a rest late in the period with nine assists and the Thunder leading 85-73.

Westbrook re-entered the game with 8:35 remaining and the Thunder leading 97-89. He claimed the triple-double less than a minute after he returned, then later put the game away with a pair of 3-pointers 32 seconds apart that put Oklahoma City up by 18.

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TIP-INS

Nuggets: Shot just 33.3% in the first quarter. ... G Jameer Nelson was issued a technical foul in the fourth quarter. ... G Emmanuel Mudiay went scoreless and missed all nine of his shots.

Thunder: G Cameron Payne made his season debut after recovering from a broken right foot in the preseason, entering the game with 2:05 left in the first quarter. He made his first shot, a 3-pointer early in the second quarter. He finished with eight points in 13 minutes. ... The Thunder shot 48% overall.

UP NEXT

The Nuggets will play the Indiana Pacers in London on Friday.

The Thunder play at the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP .