Hield Has Career-Best 37 Points, Kings Fall Short To Thunder 132-113
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Paul George scored 43 points, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double and Steven Adams grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds in the Oklahoma City Thunder's 132-113 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
George hit four 3-pointers and went 9 of 10 from the free throw line. Westbrook had 19 points, 17 assists and 11 rebounds for the 112th triple-double of his career.
George and Adams had double-doubles - George pulled down 12 rebounds and Adams scored 20 points - as the Thunder won for the eighth time in 11 games. Oklahoma City finished with a season-high 66 boards.
Buddy Hield had a career-best 37 points and De'Aaron Fox added 28 points and 12 assists for the Kings.
It was a matchup of short-handed teams. The Kings were missing Iman Shumpert, Marvin Bagley III and Bogdan Bogdanovic because of injuries, while Oklahoma City guards Raymond Felton and Dennis Schroder were serving one-game suspensions for leaving the bench area during a scuffle with the Chicago Bulls on Monday.
George had 19 points, Westbrook scored 17 and Adams added 14 in the first half, and the Thunder held a 71-52 lead at the break. Oklahoma City maintained a double-digit advantage for most of the third quarter, though the Kings pulled within nine entering the fourth quarter.
The Thunder opened the final period with a 9-0 run - with all the points coming from George - and had a comfortable lead the rest of the way.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Adams had a double-double by halftime with 14 points and 15 rebounds. . OKC missed seven of its first 14 free throws, including five straight misses in less than two minutes of the second quarter by Westbrook. . The Thunder broke a three-game road losing streak. . Jerami Grant had 22 points.
Kings: Had 43 rebounds, 23 fewer than the Thunder. ... Had won their two previous games this season against the Thunder, by 131-120 in Oklahoma City on Oct. 21 and 117-113 in Sacramento on Nov. 19. The teams meet for the final time this regular season Feb. 23 at Oklahoma City.
UP NEXT
Thunder: At Utah on Saturday. Oklahoma City has won four straight against the Jazz.
Kings: Play the second game of a three-game homestand when they host Memphis on Friday. Sacramento coach Dave Joerger coached the Grizzlies from 2013-16.
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