NBA: Los Angeles Lakers get by Oklahoma City Thunder with OT surge

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George during their NBA game at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City on Jan 17, 2019. PHOTO: REUTERS/USA TODAY SPORTS

LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) )- Kyle Kuzma scored 32 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers earn a 138-128 overtime win over the host Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night (Jan 17).

Without LeBron James and Rajon Rondo for the 12th consecutive game, the Lakers relied on Kuzma and Ivica Zubac off the bench, as well as Lonzo Ball.

Kuzma hit seven three-pointers. Zubac scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Ball added 18 points, including five in overtime as the Lakers outscored Oklahoma City 16-6, and dished out 10 assists.

The Thunder lost for the fifth time in six games. The Lakers won their second in a row and improved to 5-7 without James (groin) and Rondo (hand).

After building a big early lead thanks to the three-pointer, the Thunder faltered from behind the arc in overtime, going 2-for-12 from long distance. Oklahoma City attempted just one field goal inside the arc in the extra session.

Paul George led the Thunder with 27 points. Russell Westbrook had 26 points and 13 assists but shot just 7 of 30 from the field.

Oklahoma City forced overtime thanks to Jerami Grant's block of Kuzma's driving layup with six seconds remaining, forcing the Lakers into a shot-clock violation.

Westbrook missed two critical shots at the rim in the final minute, but the Thunder put the game back into his hands in the final seconds of regulation, and it paid off.

Westbrook was fouled by Ball while shooting a three-point attempt with 2.9 seconds left.

Coming into the game, Westbrook was shooting a career-worst 64.2 per cent from the free-throw line, but he hit all three of his free throws to tie the game. Kuzma missed a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the contest into overtime.

The teams entered the night as two of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA - the Lakers No. 28 in the league and the Thunder dead last at No. 30.

However, the teams combined for 41 three-pointers, with Oklahoma City hitting 22 of 54 attempts (40.7 per cent) and Los Angeles making 19 of 40 (47.5 per cent).

Both teams set season highs for three-pointers. The Thunder set a franchise record, breaking the previous mark of 20.

The game came a night after Golden State and New Orleans combined for an NBA-record 43 three-pointers in a game.

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