NBA on Apr. 5: Westbrook makes third straight triple-double season

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The 2018-19 NBA regular season wrapped up on Friday with 13 games. Russell Westbrook extended his triple-double season record to three after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to defeat the visiting Detroit Pistons 123-110 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Denver Nuggets claimed a home victory against the Portland Trail Blazers 119-110 at the Pepsi Center, consolidating their No. 2 ranking in the Western Conference.

Westbrook on his way to NBA's No.1 triple-double player

Russell Westbrook (C) of the Oklahoma City Thunder penetrates in the game they win against the Detroit Pistons 123-110 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, April 5, 2019. /VCG Photo

Paul George scored the most for Oklahoma City at 30 points while three of his teammates got double-double: Steven Adams 14 points+14 rebounds, Dennis Schroder 14 points+10 assists and Westbrook 19 points+eight rebounds+15 assists. Jerami Grant and Markieff Morris contributed respectively 19 and 12 points.

Blake Griffin dropped the court's highest 45 points by making his career-high nine three-pointers for Detroit. He's also the fourth player in the team's history to bury at least nine shots from the 3-pt line after Joe Dumars in 1994, Ben Gordon in 2012 and Jodie Meeks in 2014. Reggie Jackson, Ish Smith and Langston Galloway had individually 10, 12 and 11 points.

Blake Griffin #23 of the Pistons shoots a three-pointer in the game against the Thunder, April 5. /VCG Photo

It took Westbrook only two minutes to deliver the three assists he needed to turn his average assists per game this season into double digits. However, the game was not on OKC's side because they could not stop Griffin from butchering their defense. The six-time All-Star power forward scored 31 points in the first half to help the Pistons lead 66-65.

George turned the situation around for the Thunder in the third quarter by putting down 16 points. Meanwhile, Westbrook kept helping other teammates score easy points in either transition offense or via open dunks. OKC took full advantage under the rim as they led in rebounds (59-32), second-chance points (27-4) and points in the paint (64-30). By contrast, Detroit struggled with their offense in the fourth quarter and only got 16 points.

In the end, Oklahoma City won the game and remained No.7 in the West while the Pistons slipped to No.8 in the East.

Rip City misses Nurkic

Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers in the game before the season ends for him over injury. /VCG Photo

Denver had three players score 20+points. Paul Milsap had the most at 25 followed by Jamal Murray's 23 points. Nikola Jokic missed one assist for triple-double as he put down 22 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. Torrey Craig contributed 18 points from the bench.

Portland saw six of their players score double-digit points. Enes Kanter had 24 and Rodney Hood got 17. Damian Lillard made only three of his 14 shots to claim 14 points. Al-Farouq Aminu took a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds. Evan Turner and Jake Layman both contributed 15 points off the bench.

Paul Milsap #4 of the Denver Nuggets dunks in the game they win against the Portland Trail Blazers 119-110 at the Pepsi Center, April 5, 2019. /VCG Photo

The Trail Blazers played in total six games after their starting center Jusuf Nurkic was ruled out for the rest of the season because of compound fracture of his left tibia and fibula. Though they won four of them, none of those teams will make the playoffs. By contrast, the team's two losses, respectively to the Pistons on March 30 and to the Nuggets on Friday, were all played against playoff teams.

Head coach put Kanter in the starting-lineup and the Turkish center did even better than Nurkic in offense. However, it became a different story in defense. Kanter could neither protect the rim, thus allowing Denver's guards to waltz their way into Portland's paint, nor protect the rebounds, which is why Denver's Craig kept grabbing offensive rebounds in the second half.

Currently the Trail Blazers rank No.4 in the West and their potential opponent in the playoffs are the Utah Jazz. It's simply too cruel to imagine how the Rip City can deal with Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell without Nurkic.

This will be how Celtics knock out Pacers in playoffs

Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Cletics shoots in the game they win against the Indiana Pacers 117-97 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse, April 5, 2019. /VCG Photo

The Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers 117-97 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse and this was Boston's second victory over the same team in seven days. Jayson Tatum had the team's most 22 points but Gordon Hayward made the biggest contribution as he sank all nine shots to get 21 points from the bench.

The Pacers did their best. The team had seven players score double-digit points but the highest came from Myles Turner and it was only 15 points. Actually, that was Indiana's problem today. They could defend, they are willing to move the ball and make the extra pass, but they lack their go-to guy when team play does not work.

Gordon Hayward of the Celtics shoots in the game against the Pacers, April 5, 2019. /VCG Photo

It is almost confirmed that the two teams will play each other in the playoffs but after the recent two games, the only question may be, how many games will it take the Celtics to eliminate Indiana?

Other games on Friday included: (away teams come first)

Toronto Raptors 111-113 Charlotte Hornets

Atlanta Hawks 113-149 Orlando Magic

San Antonio Spurs 129-112 Washington Wizards

New York Knicks 96-120 Houston Rockets

Miami Heat 109-111 Minnesota Timberwolves

Memphis Grizzlies 122-112 Dallas Mavericks

Sacramento Kings 98-119 Utah Jazz

New Orleans Pelicans 126-133 Phoenix Suns

Cleveland Cavaliers 114-120 Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Lakers 122-117 Los Angeles Clippers