The Oklahoma City Thunder’s record isn’t as gaudy as the Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs, but they are playing at that level at the moment.
The Thunder’s 119-100 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday was their eighth in a row. They've scored at least 110 points in all eight games, the first time that's happened since Shaq and Penny Hardaway's Orlando Magic squad did it back in 1994.
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Leading the way was Russell Westbrook, the human triple-double machine. Westbrook recorded 26 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists for his 16th triple-double of the season, and his seventh in the month of March. The last player to do that was some bald guy named Jordan who played for the Chicago Bulls back in April 1989.
In most other years, Westbrook’s performance would make him a serious candidate — if not the favorite — for MVP. Unfortunately for Westbrook, he’s playing in the era of Stephen Curry and the Warriors and beneath that shadow of the Spurs.Russell Westbrook recorded his 7th triple-double in March and joined some exclusive triple-double company. pic.twitter.com/qsnCHDapxp
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 29, 2016
The only way for Westbrook and his teammates to get out of that shadow is to beat the Warriors head to head. Because as great as Westbrook has been lately and as well as his team has been playing, they will be nothing more than a footnote in history if they can’t figure out how to topple a team that looks impossible to beat four times in seven games.
Tweet of the night
Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were historically bad Monday night. The Lakers fell 123-75 to the Utah Jazz, marking the worst loss of Bryant’s career. The 48-point loss is tied for the worst in franchise history.
It was also the worst loss in Kobe Bryant's career.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 29, 2016
Previous worst was a 36 point loss to the Thunder https://t.co/m2Q0x2WPBE
Stud of the night
Rodney Hood went all the way off against the Lakers. Hood shot 8-for-9 from 3-point range IN THE FIRST HALF. He scored all 30 of his points in the first two quarters, becoming the fourth player this season to hit eight or more 3-pointers in a game.
Dud of the night
The Raptors were embarrassed by the Thunder and DeMar DeRozan could have done more to help. It took DeRozan 22 shot attempts to get 19 points.
Looking Ahead
Houston Rockets (36-38) at Cleveland Cavaliers (52-21), 8 p.m. ET: The Rockets are holding on to the Western Conference’s final playoff spot by a thread while the Cavs, barring a collapse, appear to be headed toward a second straight No. 1 seed in the East.