DALLAS (AP) — Russell Westbrook hit a pull-up jumper with seven seconds left and the Oklahoma City Thunder erased a 13-point deficit in the final four minutes to beat the Dallas Mavericks 92-91 on Monday night.
Westbrook scored 37 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, with 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his third straight triple-double and 37th of the season.
The Thunder finished on a 14-0 run, capped when they gained possession on a replay reversal with 13 seconds to go and Westbrook hit the decisive shot from just beyond the free throw line over Wesley Matthews. Westbrook scored 12 of the final 14 points.
Dallas didn’t call a timeout, and Harrison Barnes missed a long 3-pointer just before the buzzer, clinching the first losing season for the Mavericks (31-42) since 1999-2000, the season that owner Mark Cuban bought the team with Dirk Nowitzki in his second year.
The Thunder (42-31) won for the seventh time in nine games since a four-game losing streak that matched a season high. They kept at least a 1 1/2-game lead over Memphis for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Mavericks rookie Yogi Ferrell scored 11 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, capped by a 3-pointer for a 91-78 lead with 3:31 remaining. Dallas didn’t score again.
Westbrook started the stunning run with a breakaway dunk, followed by a 3. After Steven Adams tipped in Westbrook’s missed 3, the star guard hit a floater on a three-point play to get the Thunder to 91-88.
The Mavericks had possession with the shot clock off after Westbrook missed a jumper, but Dallas got stuck in the backcourt and had to call timeout. With just three seconds to get the ball past midcourt, an inbounds pass for J.J. Barea was tipped by Westbrook, who immediately signaled Oklahoma City ball even though the initial call went Dallas’ way.
Nerlens Noel and Matthews scored 15 points each to lead the Mavericks.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Went scoreless for the first 5:25 of the second and finished with 10 points in the period, their lowest for any quarter this season. … Victor Oladipo scored 15 points, and Taj Gibson had 13.
Mavericks: G Seth Curry was a late scratch with a left shoulder injury. He had started 34 straight games, and Dallas was 20-14 in those games after a horrid start for an injury-plagued team. … Dallas went on a 31-9 run over more than a quarter in the first half.
UP NEXT
Thunder: At the Orlando Magic on Wednesday to finish a three-game trip in four nights.
Mavericks: At the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday to start season-ending stretch that features seven of nine on the road.
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