Russell Westbrook is most dangerous when attacking the basket. Five fouls kept him from doing that late in Oklahoma City's game with Portland, but his perimeter play was more than enough.
Westbrook's three 3-pointers in the final 5 1/2 minutes, including the clincher with 21 seconds remaining, carried the Thunder to a 99-90 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday and clinched Oklahoma City's second straight playoff berth.
"You ask just about anybody, they'd rather have the ball in Westbrook's hands than [Kevin] Durant's hands late in the game, but he made some big shots," said Portland's Gerald Wallace, who scored 40 points, two short of his career high. "They've got a great two-headed snake over there."
Westbrook finished with 28 points and Durant had 21, but was he was just 5 of 18 from the field and scored only six in the second half. Wallace was unguardable at times in the second half as he carried the Trail Blazers back from a 14-point halftime deficit. But Oklahoma City made enough plays late to beat Portland for the third time in three tries.
