Rookie Aleksej Pokusevski scored a career-high 29 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 117-112 on Sunday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Josh Hall, a two-way player who had never scored more than 10 points in an NBA game, had career highs of 25 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City. Moses Brown had a career-best 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Thunder, who snapped a nine-game losing streak.
Terance Mann scored 19 points, two-way player Jay Scrubb scored 14 and rookie Daniel Oturu added career highs of 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who clinched the No 4 seed in the Western Conference. The Clippers sat stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for the second straight game.
Los Angeles Clippers center Daniel Oturu, center, shoots between Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylen Hoard (8) and forward Aleksej Pokusevski (17) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Oklahoma City. (AP PhotoSue Ogrocki)
Pokusevski's 3-pointer with 48.8 seconds left gave the Thunder a 115-112 lead. The Thunder held defensively, then Brown's putback dunk off a miss by Pokusevski with 5.4 seconds to play put the game away.
TIP-INS
Clippers: C Ivica Zubac played six seconds, then intentionally committed a foul and left the game for good. He is the only Clipper to play every game this season. ... Forwards Marcus Morris and Nicolas Batum and guard Rajon Rondo did not play and were not on the injury report. ... Center DeMarcus Cousins sat out with a sore left foot.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Josh Hall, rear, tries to knock the ball away from Los Angeles Clippers center Daniel Oturu (10) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Oklahoma City. (AP PhotoSue Ogrocki)
Thunder: Guard Charlie Brown Jr. was signed to a multiyear deal Saturday. He had previously signed two 10-day contracts. ... Pokusevski scored 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting in the first quarter. ... Guard Lu Dort sat out with right patellar tendinitis. ... Starting forward Darius Bazley did not play. He was not on the injury report.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Will host a playoff series.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) shoots in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Oklahoma City. (AP PhotoSue Ogrocki)
Thunder: Season over.
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