ORLANDO, Fla. _ Oklahoma City Thunder point guard and triple-double generator Russell Westbrook needed yet another big game to burnish his MVP credentials, he provided that performance Wednesday night.
Westbrook brought the Thunder back from a 21-point deficit in the third quarter, led a furious rally late in the fourth quarter and paced Oklahoma City to a 114-106 overtime win over Orlando at Amway Center.
After Magic center Nikola Vucevic made only one of two free throws with 13.7 seconds remaining in regulation, giving the Thunder an opening to tie the game, Westbrook sank a 3-pointer from 30 feet to knot the score at 102-102 with 7.1 seconds left.
Westbrook finished with 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists and recorded his 38th triple-double of the season.
He clinched the triple-double when he passed the ball to former Magic guard Victor Oladipo and Oladipo sank a 3-pointer to put the Thunder ahead 107-105 with 3:59 remaining in overtime.
The Thunder, who secured a playoff berth, never trailed again.
The Magic made only one of their eight shot attempts in overtime.
Westbrook's exploits offset Evan Fournier's 24 points and Terrence Ross' 23 points.
Oladipo finished with 13 points on 5-of-17 shooting in his first game in Orlando since the Magic traded him, Ersan Ilyasova and the draft rights to Domantas Sabonis in June to Oklahoma City for Serge Ibaka.
For a time Wednesday night, the atmosphere inside Amway Center needed a jolt of energy, even with Westbrook and Oladipo in the building.
A video tribute to Oladipo early in the first quarter generated a tepid response from the crowd. A ceremony to honor Magic co-founder Jimmy Hewitt, the newest member of the Magic Hall of Fame, between the first and second quarters produced only muted applause.
But Mario Hezonja and Bismack Biyombo infused the arena with electricity in the second quarter.
Midway through the quarter, Hezonja drove to the hoop, elevated and pushed off against Enes Kanter. Hezonja seemed to stay in the air for a split-second longer than usual and threw down an emphatic right-handed dunk over Kanter.
Players on the Magic's bench _ Fournier, Elfrid Payton, Damjan Rudez, Vucevic and Stephen Zimmerman _ leapt to their feet. Fournier waved a towel.
On Oklahoma City's ensuing possession, Biyombo blocked a shot by Sabonis.
Biyombo kept the energy up.
In the second quarter alone, Biyombo repeatedly rolled to the hoop and scored 10 points, collected eight rebounds and dished out two assists. With Vucevic in foul trouble and Biyombo playing so well, coach Frank Vogel left Biyombo in for the entire quarter.
The Magic sustained their momentum into the third quarter's early stages.
Already ahead 59-51, the Magic scored the game's next 13 points, beginning with a 3-pointer by Fournier, a 3 by Ross and another 3 by Fournier.
The run extended the Magic's lead to 72-51 with 5:06 left in the third quarter.
The Thunder cut the Magic's lead to 87-79 with 8:20 remaining in the fourth quarter.
But the Magic (27-48) responded _ temporarily, at least. Gordon sank a pair of free throws. Ross cut to the hoop, received a pass and made a layup. And Vucevic sank a hook shot. The mini outburst extended the lead to 93-79.
The Thunder (43-31) still had Westbrook, however.
Westbrook countered with a 19-foot jumper and, on Oklahoma City's next possession, a 3-pointer from 26 feet. Suddenly, Orlando clung to a 93-84 lead with 5:26 left in the game, prompting Vogel to call a timeout.
And, soon, with Westbrook leading the way, the Thunder cut their deficit to 96-92 with 3:04 remaining.
It foreshadowed the masterful comeback that would soon follow.
Westbrook scored 19 points in the fourth quarter.
He had yet another big game to burnish his MVP resume.
