Los Angeles (AFP) - The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-98 late on Thursday, but the victory proved costly as Thunder forward Enes Kanter broke his right arm after losing his cool.
Kanter, Oklahoma City's third-leading scorer and top candidate for the National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award, fractured his right forearm while punching a chair during a timeout in the second quarter.
Russell Westbrook scored 45 points, Victor Oladipo scored 17 points while Steven Adams added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder.
"We were a little more physical," Westbrook said. "We came out in the second half more aggressive on both sides of the ball."
Harrison Barnes paced the short-handed Mavericks with 31 points on 13-of-26 shooting.
Justin Anderson came off the bench to post 17 points for Dallas, who played without four of their top six players including Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews.
Kanter went for X-rays at halftime and following the game coach Billy Donovan confirmed the fracture.
Kanter tried to take out his frustrations on a folding chair on the Thunder bench.
"It's tough man," Westbrook said, "especially doing it the way he did it. I think it's unfortunate, but he's a strong man and he will be back better."
The Thunder did not indicate when he would be able to return. The centre entered the game averaging 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds this season. He had four points and four rebounds in nine minutes of playing time against the Mavericks.
Elsewhere, Paul George scored 32 points and Myles Turner added 23 as the Indiana Pacers snapped a three game losing skid with a 109-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Denver, Nikola Jokic had 29 points and 14 rebounds before exiting the contest in the fourth quarter with an injury as the Denver Nuggets toppled the Phoenix Suns 127-120.
In Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward tallied 24 points in his first game since being picked an All-Star, as the Utah Jazz added to the Los Angeles Lakers miserable season with a 96-88 win.
