This was published 7 years ago
Career-best score for Australian Dante Exum in Utah Jazz loss to Oklahoma City
Australian guard Dante Exum has scored a career-high 22 points in his Utah Jazz team's 104-112 NBA loss against Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 21-year-old Exum started on the bench in Oklahoma City on Saturday night, but shot seven-from-eight in 26 minutes of court time to lead all Jazz players in scoring.
Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum (left) shoots in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook.Credit: AP
Fellow Australian Joe Ingles managed three points to go with six rebounds and three assists.
Exum was aggressive in his attack on the basket, scoring on a series of lay-ups as he repeatedly drove at the Thunder defence.
The star of the show for Oklahoma City was again Russell Westbrook, who passed Wilt Chamberlain for the second-most triple doubles in an NBA season, with his 32nd of the campaign.
The point guard scored 33 points, collected 11 rebounds and provided 14 assists in the win.
Westbrook needs nine more triple doubles to equal Oscar Robertson's record for most in a season.
Exum's countryman Patty Mills made the most of a rare starting opportunity for the San Antonio Spurs as he scored a team-high 21 points in 21 minutes on court in a 107-85 win over a severely-depleted Golden State Warriors.
The clash of the top two teams in the western conference – both already qualified for the playoffs – suffered from a decided absence of star power.
Mills started in place of fellow point guard Tony Parker in a team without big gun Kawhi Leonard (concussion) against a Warriors side without rested star players Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.
Mills was benched with 6:19 remaining in third quarter, at which point the Spurs led 74-50, and he didn't step foot on the court again.
AAP