This time the Oklahoma City Thunder would have no late game collapse.
Kevin Durant had 30 points with 10 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook had 25 points, a career-high 20 assists and 11 rebounds, and the Thunder rolled the visiting LA Clippers 120-108 on Wednesday.
In collecting his 11th triple-double of the season and the 30th of his career, Westbrook became the first player to put up similar statistics since 1988, when Hall of Famer Magic Johnson had 25 points, 20 assists and 10 boards.
“I come out every day and play with high intensity,” Westbrook explained. “My job is to find ways to win games. Some nights it may be passing, some nights rebounding or some nights scoring. I try to find a happy medium to do both.”   Serge Ibaka scored 15 points for the Thunder (44-20), who moved 2.5 games ahead of the Clippers for the third spot in the Western Conference.
The Thunder exacted a measure of revenge after blowing a 23-point lead in last Wednesday’s 103-98 meltdown.
“They’re pretty good at coming back,” Durant said. “We gave them the last game and tonight we took it.”  
In the rematch of Western Conference powers, Oklahoma City led 64-62 at half-time behind Westbrook’s 17 points and 12 assists.
Knotted at 75-apiece early in the second half, the Thunder went on a game-breaking 28-12 blitz during a 12-minute span bridging the third and fourth quarters, to open up a 103-85 cushion with eight minutes left. OKC never allowed the Clippers to threaten again en route to the lopsided win.  
“We stuck around for four quarters this time,” said Thunder centre Steven Adams, who finished with nine points and nine boards. “It was a relief.”
Jeff Green scored 23 points, JJ Redick added 22 while Chris Paul had 12 and 16 assists for the Clippers (41-22), who had won five of their previous six games.
Elsewhere: Golden State Warriors 115, Utah Jazz 94: Klay Thompson netted 23 points, league top gun Stephen Curry had just 12, including a banked 55-footer halftime buzzer-beater, and the Warriors (57-6) extended their NBA-record regular-season home winning streak to 46, with 28 this season after beating the Jazz (29-35).
Cleveland Cavaliers 120, Sacramento Kings 113: Kyrie Irving tossed in 30 points, Kevin Love converted a four-point play with 1:32 remaining, and the visiting Cavaliers held off the Kings.  LeBron James had 25 points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland (45-18), while Love finished with 17 points and 10 boards. DeMarcus Cousins led Sacramento (25-38) with 29 points and 11 rebounds.
•Boston Celtics 116, Memphis Grizzlies 96: Isaiah Thomas exploded for 16 of his 22 points in the game-breaking 31-12 third quarter, and the surging Celtics (39-26) ran their home-winning streak to 14 after beating the banged-up Grizzlies (38-26).
•Charlotte Hornets 122, New Orleans Pelicans 113: Kemba Walker tossed in 35 points, including four free throws with 1:35 remaining, and the Hornets (35-28) regrouped to beat the visiting Pelicans for their fifth straight win after blowing a 17-point lead. Anthony Davis had 40 points with 13 rebounds, while Jrue Holiday netted a season-best 38 for New Orleans (24-39), which has lost five of its last six games.
•Houston Rockets 118, Philadelphia 76ers 104: James Harden collected 29 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Dwight Howard had 21 points and 18 rebounds, as the visiting Rockets (32-32) sent the league-worst Sixers (8-56) to their 13th straight loss
•Milwaukee Bucks 114, Miami Heat 108: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points, Khris Middleton added 22, including four free throws in the final six seconds, and the Bucks (27-38) snapped the visiting Heat’s season-high five-success. Miami (37-27) was led by Hassan Whiteside’s 23 points and 13 rebounds.
•Detroit Pistons 102, Dallas Mavericks 96: Andre Drummond had 25 points with 17 rebounds, Marcus Morris netted 20 points, including a pair of triples in a decisive 12-2 run midway through the fourth quarter, and the visiting Pistons (33-31) pulled away to beat the Mavericks. Chandler Parsons and German star Dirk Nowitzki tallied 25 points apiece in Dallas’ (33-32) season-high fourth straight loss.
•New York Knicks 128, Phoenix Suns 97: Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points, Sasha Vujacic also had a season-high 23, including six of the visiting Knicks’ (27-39) 16 triples to shoot past the Suns. Rookie Devin Booker topped Phoenix (17-47), with 32 points.