Serge Ibaka hit the game-winning shot for the Orlando Magic to stop his old team 119-117. He scored a career-high 31 points and spoiled yet another triple-double from Russel Westbrook.
Ibaka was emotional before the game as it was his first game back in Chesapeake wearing a different uniform. "I was very emotional," said Ibaka. "I saw this arena and it was like my body wasn't normal. I had to go to bed early just to get everything calmed down," he said.
Although he was nervous before the game, it didn't show in his game. He was aggressive early on and played like he wanted to prove something. Ibaka ran the floor, blocked four shots in the first quarter, he looked for his shot, and he played with intensity.
The Orlando Magic led by as much as 21 points before Westbrook and company turned it on in the second half. It was the pace. We were playing too slow," said Westbrook. "The faster we play, the harder it is to guard us," he explained. The Thunder was able to grab the lead for the first time at the end of the third and the two teams went back and forth in the final period.
The Thunder had a 4-point,115-111, with less than a minute left in the game. Elfrid Payton hit a clutch trey to bring the Magic within one. Westbrook then hit two out of three free throws to bring the Thunder up by three, 117-114. On the next possession, the Orlando Magic hit another clutch trey care of Even Fournier. With the game tied at 117, Westbrook took a jump shot but missed and gave the Magic to win the game.
Serge Ibaka was the hot hand and everybody on the Magic bench knew it, including head coach Frank Vogel. "He was the hot hand," said Vogel. "You've got a tied score and you've got a guy coming back to play a team that he was with his whole career and we gave him an opportunity to go and win the game," the coach said.
On the Orlando Magic's final possession, Ibaka drove to the corner, pump-faked to get Steven Adams up in the air, and hit the game-winning jumper. Ibaka finished the night with 31 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks. He also got help from Payton and Fournier who had 23 and 21, respectively.
Russel Westbrook tallied his third triple-double of the season with 41 points, 12 rebounds, 16 assists and just two turnovers. He now has 40 career triple-doubles and is the third youngest player to do it 40 times.
