PHOTO: AP WASHINGTON Russell Westbrook had the third game in NBA history with 20-plus rebounds and 20-plus assists he and Wilt Chamberlain have the other two and the surging Washington Wizards moved closer to Indiana in the Eastern Conference playoff standings by outgunning the Pacers 154-141 on Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time). Westbrook had 14 points to go along with his career-high 21 rebounds and career-high-tying 24 assists, his league-leading 32nd triple-double of the season. He has 178 triple-doubles, three short of Oscar Robertson s record, with seven games remaining for Washington. Rui Hachimura scored 27 points and Bradley Beal had 26 as Washington scored a season high and moved within one-half game of Indiana for ninth place in the East. Teams that finish between seventh and 10th will enter the league s new play-in tournament for the main playoff draw.
PHOTO: AP OKLAHOMA CITY Russell Westbrook had another triple-double in his return to Oklahoma City, and the Washington Wizards beat the Thunder, 129-109, on Friday night (Saturday, Manila time) for their seventh straight win. Westbrook finished with 37 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists his fourth straight triple-double and his 14th in 16 games. It was just the kind of night he routinely had during his 11 seasons with the Thunder. He was league MVP in 2017 and was a two-time scoring champion and perennial All-Star in Oklahoma City before the team traded him two seasons ago. Westbrook has 174 triple-doubles in his career and is closing in on Oscar Robertson s career record of 181. He has 28 triple-doubles this season.
PHOTO: AP NEW ORLEANS Kyrie Irving capped a 32-point performance with a tough turnaround jumper, a driving layup through converging defenders and four free throws in the final minute, and the Brooklyn Nets held on for a 134-129 victory over the reeling New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time). Joe Harris also hit a pair of late free throws to cap his 24-point night for the Nets, who won despite being without both Kevin Durant and James Harden. Brooklyn coach Steve Nash twice commanded the Nets to foul Pelicans ball-handlers coming across halfcourt in the final seconds rather than allow New Orleans to set up potential game-tying 3-point shots.