National Basketball Association

Westbrook, Thunder hold off Lakers 117-113 despite Lou's 44

Published Jan. 9, 2016 2:25 a.m. ET

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LOS ANGELES (AP) Russell Westbrook had 36 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder barely survived Lou Williams' 44-point performance for a 117-113 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Durant scored 24 points in the Thunder's 15th victory in 18 games and their seventh straight win over the lowly Lakers, but Williams put an extraordinary scare into them.

Williams scored 23 of his career-high output in the fourth quarter for the Lakers, who avoided a third straight blowout loss to the Thunder in three weeks. Williams had all but five of the Lakers' points during a frenetic fourth quarter.

Kobe Bryant had 19 points while playing in back-to-back games despite an ailing right shoulder, but missed a potential tying shot over Durant with 4 seconds to play.