Russell Westbrook debuted with the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night, and his first game will undoubtedly be remembered.
Westbrook had 17 points and 14 assists in 39 minutes, but fouled out in the second overtime when the sacramento kings defeated the Clippers 176-175 in the second-highest scoring game in NBA history.
Russell Westbrook, #0 of the LA Clippers, looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on February 24, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
It was only the second time in league history that both teams had scored at least 170 points.
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The highest scoring game remains the 1983 matchup between the detroit pistons and the Denver Nuggets as Detroit won 186-184 in three overtimes.
«I thought it was a great game. Lots of swings,» Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.
The Clippers led 175-169 with just under two minutes left in the second overtime, but Sacramento scored the last seven points, including De’Aaron Fox’s jumper with 36.1 seconds remaining to give the Kings the advantage.
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De’Aaron Fox, #5 of the Sacramento Kings, dribbles the ball during the game against the LA Clippers on February 24, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
Fox finished the night with 42 points, 12 assists and five steals, playing 45 minutes in the win.
«We just had to polish this game. We were on the second night in a row, but it is what it is. We have a younger team than them,» Fox said.
Malik Monk scored 45 points off the bench, marking the first time two Kings players had scored at least 40 points in a game. game in franchise history.
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«We just stood our ground. We were down 12 at one point, but we held our heads up. We knew they were going to let us in,» Monk said.
For the Clippers, westbrook debut It came a few days after LA signed the nine-time All-Star after he was waived by the Utah Jazz earlier in the week.
«This is about what I envisioned,» Clippers star Paul George said, according to ESPN. «The reason I was excited for Russ to be a part of this team was because of what he brings to the table, and he saw the flashes of that tonight.»
Malik Monk, #0 of the Sacramento Kings, celebrates after the game against the LA Clippers on February 24, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
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George, who scored 34 points Friday night, was teammates with Westbrook in Oklahoma City in 2018-19.
«We needed a point guard,» George said. «We needed someone you saw tonight, someone to put us on offense, someone to get us easy baskets and a floor general. That was just a need that we needed.»
Associated Press contributed to this report.