Thunder return home and to win column vs. Clippers
Paul George
Oklahoma City Thunder forward  Paul George ( 13 )  shoots the ball defended by LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin ( 32 ) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena . ( Photo : Mark D . Smith   USA TODAY Sports ) OKLAHOMA CITY ( AP ) — This was  the Paul George  that Thunder fans had been waiting for .  George  scored 42 points and Oklahoma City snapped a four - game losing streak with a 120 - 111 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night . It was George ' s highest scoring performance since joining the Thunder in an offseason trade with Indiana .  He  said  his  new teammates are starting to figure out how  his  game works . " It really is just chemistry  "  he  said . " When I got here   one of the talks we had about what was best with offense was the movement . Coach ( Billy )  Donovan  was happy that  he  could utilize me in that situation of moving and getting some flow in offense   so I ' m comfortable with that . It ' s good for me to get going and move around a little bit ." Russell Westbrook had 22 points and eight assists in the Thunder ' s highest - scoring game of the season . Carmelo Anthony and Alex Abrines each scored 14 points . Westbrook and Anthony made it tough for Los Angeles to deal with  George  . " It ' s hard because they have so many options  " Clippers coach Doc Rivers said . " A lot of times you have the one - two option   they ' ve got the one - two - three option .  George  made 13 of 22 shots and had nine rebounds and seven assists . " I was just trying to stay in attack mode  "  he  said . " If plays opened up and there was opportunities to find guys   I was trying to   but it just seems that a lot of the plays just ended up me one on one with a big at the rim ." Lou Williams scored 35 points for the Clippers   and Blake Griffin had 17 points on 5 - for - 19 shooting . Los Angeles has lost four straight . The Thunder led 63 - 55 at halftime behind 21 points by George . " All of the sudden   he got it going  " Rivers said . " I thought that changed the game when he got it going . That stretched the floor some more ." The Thunder continued their surge early in the third quarter . A 3 - pointer by Anthony pushed Oklahoma City ' s lead to 15 . The Thunder increased their advantage to 20 before the Clippers chipped away late in the quarter to close to 94 - 86 at the end of the period . A 3 - pointer by Austin Rivers tied it at 105 midway through the fourth   but the Thunder held the Clippers to one field goal in the final three minutes to regain control . MORE : TIP - INS Clippers : G Jawun Evans   who played at nearby Oklahoma State last season   scored three points in 16 minutes . ... G Patrick Beverley sat out with a sore right knee . F Danilo Gallinari missed the game with a strained left glute . ... G Sindarius Thornwell got his first career start in place of Beverley and scored 10 points . ... Williams hit a double - clutch shot from half court to end the first quarter . He was called for a technical foul in the fourth . Thunder : C Steven Adams missed the game with a right calf contusion . ... Dakari Johnson got his first career start in Adams ' place and finished with nine points . He was a G - League All - Star last season . ... George hit a short jumper at the halftime buzzer . He was issued a technical foul in the third quarter . ... G Andre Roberson had 11 rebounds . STAT LINES Each of the Thunder ' s wins has been by at least nine points . All their losses have been by nine or fewer . Even with a 5 - 7 record   the Thunder have outscored their opponents by 58 points this season . QUOTABLE Johnson on facing DeAndre Jordan in his first career start : " It was good . I just tried to go out there and be competitive   just compete . He ' s a very great player . I ' m not scared of anybody   so I just went out there and competed ." Jordan finished with nine points and 12 rebounds . DROPPING DIMES Griffin had five assists to surpass 2   000 in his career . He led the team in assists   and the team finished with just 13 . UP NEXT Clippers : At New Orleans on Saturday night . Thunder : Host Dallas on Sunday night . NBA photo of the day The Associated Press .
Oklahoma City Thunder forward  [TGT]shoots the ball defended by LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin ( 32 ) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena . ( Photo : Mark D . Smith   USA TODAY Sports ) OKLAHOMA CITY ( AP ) — This was  the Paul George  that Thunder fans had been waiting for .  [TGT]scored 42 points and Oklahoma City snapped a four - game losing streak with a 120 - 111 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night . It was George ' s highest scoring performance since joining the Thunder in an offseason trade with Indiana .  He  said  his  new teammates are starting to figure out how  his  game works . " It really is just chemistry  "  he  said . " When I got here   one of the talks we had about what was best with offense was the movement . Coach ( Billy )  Donovan  was happy that  he  could utilize me in that situation of moving and getting some flow in offense   so I ' m comfortable with that . It ' s good for me to get going and move around a little bit ." Russell Westbrook had 22 points and eight assists in the Thunder ' s highest - scoring game of the season . Carmelo Anthony and Alex Abrines each scored 14 points . Westbrook and Anthony made it tough for Los Angeles to deal with  George  . " It ' s hard because they have so many options  " Clippers coach Doc Rivers said . " A lot of times you have the one - two option   they ' ve got the one - two - three option .  George  made 13 of 22 shots and had nine rebounds and seven assists . " I was just trying to stay in attack mode  "  he  said . " If plays opened up and there was opportunities to find guys   I was trying to   but it just seems that a lot of the plays just ended up me one on one with a big at the rim ." Lou Williams scored 35 points for the Clippers   and Blake Griffin had 17 points on 5 - for - 19 shooting . Los Angeles has lost four straight . The Thunder led 63 - 55 at halftime behind 21 points by George . " All of the sudden   he got it going  " Rivers said . " I thought that changed the game when he got it going . That stretched the floor some more ." The Thunder continued their surge early in the third quarter . A 3 - pointer by Anthony pushed Oklahoma City ' s lead to 15 . The Thunder increased their advantage to 20 before the Clippers chipped away late in the quarter to close to 94 - 86 at the end of the period . A 3 - pointer by Austin Rivers tied it at 105 midway through the fourth   but the Thunder held the Clippers to one field goal in the final three minutes to regain control . MORE : TIP - INS Clippers : G Jawun Evans   who played at nearby Oklahoma State last season   scored three points in 16 minutes . ... G Patrick Beverley sat out with a sore right knee . F Danilo Gallinari missed the game with a strained left glute . ... G Sindarius Thornwell got his first career start in place of Beverley and scored 10 points . ... Williams hit a double - clutch shot from half court to end the first quarter . He was called for a technical foul in the fourth . Thunder : C Steven Adams missed the game with a right calf contusion . ... Dakari Johnson got his first career start in Adams ' place and finished with nine points . He was a G - League All - Star last season . ... George hit a short jumper at the halftime buzzer . He was issued a technical foul in the third quarter . ... G Andre Roberson had 11 rebounds . STAT LINES Each of the Thunder ' s wins has been by at least nine points . All their losses have been by nine or fewer . Even with a 5 - 7 record   the Thunder have outscored their opponents by 58 points this season . QUOTABLE Johnson on facing DeAndre Jordan in his first career start : " It was good . I just tried to go out there and be competitive   just compete . He ' s a very great player . I ' m not scared of anybody   so I just went out there and competed ." Jordan finished with nine points and 12 rebounds . DROPPING DIMES Griffin had five assists to surpass 2   000 in his career . He led the team in assists   and the team finished with just 13 . UP NEXT Clippers : At New Orleans on Saturday night . Thunder : Host Dallas on Sunday night . NBA photo of the day The Associated Press .