OKLAHOMA CITY -- If you wanted any more evidence that Paul George is feeling it on a whole other level this season, look to the first overtime of the Oklahoma City Thunder's game Friday night against the Utah Jazz. Down by two points with three minutes to go, Thunder forward Jerami Grant came up with a steal and kicked a pass ahead to George. A critical layup was coming that would tie the game and wrestle momentum back to the Thunder's side. But George did not complete a layup. He timed up his steps, and with Derrick Favors trailing, George elevated and cranked his arm back. Some 51 minutes into the game, he was going full windmill. "That was a statement," George said. "That was a statement just to let them know my legs is fresh. It's going to be a long OT for that opposing team." The final statement, though, came with 0.8 seconds left in the second overtime. After pulling in a rebound, George brought the ball up with the Thunder down by a point and 10 seconds left. He isolated on Joe Ingles, dancing between him and the help of Ricky Rubio to then see Rudy Gobert waiting. George had heard the Jazz bench throughout the game, imploring Gobert to take a charge on George, so anticipating Gobert laying back, George let go a moonshot floater. It left his hand with 2.5 seconds left and didn't come down for nearly two more seconds. "Had to get it up there," George said. "It's a shot that I work on. Just thank God it went in." It's not news to report that George has been on a new level this season, with George himself saying this is the best basketball he has played in his career. He is comfortable, he is confident and he's completely in control of the game. Against the Jazz, George let it come to him. Superstar teammate Russell Westbrook had his jumper and scoring touch going, but George hit the switch in the fourth quarter with 17 points. George finished with 45 points on 17-of-31 shooting, nine rebounds and seven assists -- with 23 of those points coming after the Thunder trailed the Jazz 107-97 with 8:43 left in regulation. Editor's Picks Westbrook's record streak ends in OKC's 2OT win George asks Nike about Zion's 'PG' shoe blowout 1 Related It was the third game winner of George's career, something he's aware of, especially considering the running joke of him failing in these situations before this season. Dubiously, George was 0-of-14 on go-ahead shots in the final 10 seconds in his first eight seasons, with memes poking fun of his Gatorade commercial that proclaimed "no OT tonight." This season, George has made as many game winners as anyone, hitting three of his six go-ahead shots in the final 10 seconds. "Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. No, I'm playing," Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell said of George's winner. "It was a good shot, you know, he's a hell of a player. He's having a hell of a season. Obviously, he's known very well, and hats off to him on his run, and I hope he continues doing it. Just not against us." Paul George recorded his fourth 45-point game of the season in Friday's win over the Jazz, tied for the third most in Thunder/SuperSonics history. Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports Westbrook offered his take. "I can just remember last year they were putting up Paul's stats where he was 1-for-12, 1-for-10 in clutch shots, and all y'all were probably the same people doing the same thing and now making shots," Westbrook said. "To me, I love it. And I know Paul loves it, as well, giving him confidence to make shots when we need to." Hey, P! Paul George's late-game heroics against the Utah Jazz in prime time did not go unnoticed across the NBA. Man in elite shape. Guards and chases all game. Scores off movement and iso all game and windmill like it's first quarter 🤣 https://t.co/m6RNM4elNm — CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 23, 2019 👀👀👀 — kuz (@kylekuzma) February 23, 2019 Tough @Yg_Trece !!! — Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) February 23, 2019 MVP! P13! — Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) February 23, 2019 Sheesh . Float school — CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 23, 2019 Westbrook said he doesn't necessarily see anything different in George in those situations, but he might see something in himself. Westbrook is more deferential than he ever has been, ceding the floor to George to play the part of cold-blooded closer, a role in which Westbrook has made a name for himself. This is true even though Westbrook missed Friday's first game-winning attempt, at the buzzer of regulation, and then fouled out with a minute left in the first overtime. It left the game for George to win, and as he plots bullet points on an MVP résumé, the extra context around this game winner makes the list. "Big players make big plays," Westbrook said. "Obviously, he's been making them all year long, and tonight was one of those nights where he made another big play." After being eliminated in the playoffs in six games by the Jazz last season, the Thunder are 3-0 against Utah this season, with George averaging 39.6 points on 60 percent shooting in those contests. He had a lot of reasons for returning to the Thunder, but one he has personally noted is how last season ended. He scored just five points on 2-of-16 shooting as the Jazz finished OKC, and that taste hasn't left him. The edge is obvious when he plays the Jazz, though he downplayed it after Friday's tilt when asked if it meant a little more to hit a winner against Utah. "No, I mean we just need these wins," George said. "That game winner wouldn't have happened if the guys didn't make big shots. Jerami made a big 3, Abdel [Nader] made a big 3. Those guys put me in position to win this game.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top F1 stories again The Thunder required double-overtime to take the win over the Jazz at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, with the game-winning bucket being scored off an extraordinary floater from George. In the closing moments of the game with the Jazz leading by one point, George grabbed a defensive rebounds with 10 seconds left on the clock. Gradually moving up the court with the ball, it seemed evident he would put the game on his shoulders in attempting a game-winning shot. From the arc he drove straight into the lane before releasing a high floater and made the shot, sending the crowd into a frenzy as the Thunder took a one point lead with 0.8seconds remaining on the clock.<doc-sep>Zach Beeker/Getty Images Paul George hit a game-winning floater with eight-tenths of a second remaining as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 148-147 in double overtime on Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City: Video Play Button McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer" Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear 29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments with Steph Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Melo to the Knicks Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Boogie to the Pelicans ASG Will Be Competitive Again If the NBA Raises the Stakes Right Arrow Icon George finished with 45 points, nine rebounds and seven assists: Video Play Button McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer" Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear 29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments with Steph Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Melo to the Knicks Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Boogie to the Pelicans ASG Will Be Competitive Again If the NBA Raises the Stakes Right Arrow Icon Teammate Russell Westbrook had a 43-point, 15-rebound, eight-assist night. His triple-double streak ended at an NBA-record 11 games, but Westbrook has now scored 40-plus points in back-to-back contests. ESPN Stats & Info noted that George and Westbrook were just the fourth teammate duo to each score 40-plus points in a single game over the last 25 seasons. Donovan Mitchell had 38 points for the 32-26 Jazz. The 38-20 Thunder have won 12 of their last 14. Red-Hot Russ Is Last Thing West's Elite Want To See There may be no greater feeling in sports video game history than watching your player in NBA Jam or NBA Hangtime catch fire after making three straight buckets, in essence turning him invincible. That's what it felt like watching Westbrook at times Friday. Granted, he didn't make every shot en route to his phenomenal performance, but Westbrook basically did whatever he wanted on the court, which was also more or less been the case during his triple-double streak (during which he accrued 21.9 points, 13.5 assists and 13.3 rebounds per game). The 11th-year veteran made 15 of 29 field goals and six of 13 three-pointers before fouling out in the first overtime. He and the rest of the starting lineup kept the team in the game on a night in which the Thunder bench scored 14 points on 5-of-26 shooting. To put that in perspective, Jazz forward Jae Crowder scored six more points off the bench than the Thunder's entire second unit. And that's the scary part for potential Western Conference opponents, one of which may be the Jazz. If Westbrook plays like this (or close to it) during the postseason and George continues his MVP-level play, then the Thunder will still be in most games. OKC's second unit isn't going to play like it did Friday more often than not. Markieff Morris, who averaged 11.5 points in 34 games with the Washington Wizards this season, was playing his first game with the Thunder after missing nearly two months with a neck injury and did not score. Dennis Schroder, who averages 15.7 points per game on 42.6 percent shooting, went 3-of-16. And Nerlens Noel, who was coming off a 22-point, 13-rebound performance on Valentine's Day, had two points and no boards. The bench should come around. What isn't a concern is George, who is no stranger to the playoffs. He led the Indiana Pacers to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014 and notably posted 22.6 points and 2.2 steals per game during the latter postseason. The 2018-19 version of George is arguably one of the three most valuable players in the league today, and that makes Westbrook even more dangerous for the opposition to handle. The former UCLA Bruin is no stranger to bringing his best against top postseason competition, even if his shot isn't falling. Against the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in the 2015-16 playoffs, Westbrook averaged 26.7 points, 11.3 assists, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 steals per contest. The Thunder took the Warriors to seven games and even had a 3-1 series lead but were ultimately eliminated. Westbrook could be seeing a souped-up version of that team in the playoffs with his ex-teammate Kevin Durant and center DeMarcus Cousins now in Golden State. But if the red-hot Westbrook shows up in the playoffs, George continues his MVP-level play and the second unit comes together, then the Thunder are going to be a tough out for any team. What's Next? Both teams play at home Saturday.<doc-sep>The OKC Thunder begin the stretch towards the postseason with an exhilarating double-overtime victory at home over the Utah Jazz It has been a long time since we have seen NBA basketball due to the recent All-Star break. Much to the delight of everyone who watched, the OKC Thunder and Utah Jazz put on a show tonight. The teams traded blow for blow in the first game back from the break, that lead to a ridiculous 148-147 victory for the Thunder. There are so many layers to this game and so many storylines that this article could be 10 slides long. From the opening tip, this game felt like a playoff elimination game with both teams bringing their absolute best. A long, foul-filled first half ended with the OKC Thunder on top 66-57. Russell Westbrook was brilliant on offense (and from three no less) with 20 in the opening half. The second half was dominated for the most part by the feisty Jazz team that always seems to give Oklahoma City headaches. Utah won the third period 38-27 to reclaim a two-point advantage going into the final frame. Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Derrick Favors were all problems for the Thunder tonight. Utah Jazz 147 Oklahoma City Thunder 148 The fun really began to happen in the fourth quarter. The OKC Thunder fell down by double digits only to spring back into the game via excellence from their two superstar players. Westbrook and George were instrumental in getting the OKC Thunder back in the game. Jerami Grant made a huge and-one basket, followed up by a huge block to send it to extra basketball. With overtime being dominated by fouls and more body blows from each side, Westbrook and Terrance Ferguson were both left to watch the last overtime period on the bench as they fouled out. Want your voice heard? Join the Thunderous Intentions team! Write for us! Double overtime was an epic slog that felt like watching Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa trade blows before knocking each other to the mat. Luckily for the Thunder tonight, Paul George gave his best Italian Stallion impersonation as he floated a beautiful raindrop shot over Rudy Gobert’s outstretched arms to send in the winning basket with just eight seconds left. What a game. What a finish. And we get to do it all again tomorrow night. Let’s get to some player grades!<doc-sep>
The night began with a bang as DeMar DeRozan's return to Toronto was spoiled in a narrow three-point loss against his former team. Despite being well-received by his former home crowd, DeRozan's night ended on a down note as a turnover with the San Antonio Spurs leading by one directly led to Kawhi Leonard's game-winning layup with 15.1 seconds remaining in the game. Later on in the night, the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Utah Jazz in double-overtime thanks to a miraculous game-winning floater from Paul George and a massive scoring effort from Russell Westbrook. Here's everything you need to know about Friday night's action, along with Saturday's schedule. NBA scores for Friday, Feb. 22 NBA schedule for Saturday, Feb. 23 *All times Eastern PG's sky-high floater wins it for Thunder Russell Westbrook had already fouled out, so there was little doubt as to who would get the ball with the Thunder down by a point toward the end of the second overtime period. Paul George didn't disappoint, driving the lane and launching the ball seemingly to the rafters to get it over shot-blocker extraordinaire Rudy Gobert. The ball dropped right through the hoop with 0.8 seconds left, sealing the win for OKC. George finished with 45 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Westbrook narrowly missed his 12th straight triple-double with 43 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. Beal's 46 points not enough to beat Hornets Bradley Beal managed to score 46 points versus the Hornets, but it wasn't enough as Charlotte still beat Washington by double digits. DeMar loses game on turnover in return to Toronto It was a perfect night ... until the end. DeMar DeRozan made an eventful return to Toronto in his first game since the trade to San Antonio. He was given a warm reception by the Toronto crowd, but DeRozan wound up costing the Spurs the game on this turnover to ... Kawhi Leonard -- the guy that the Raptors traded DeRozan for. Raptors crowd gives DeRozan standing ovation DeMar DeRozan may be a member of the opposition now, but it doesn't mean that he's still not beloved in Toronto. Check out this standing ovation that the former Raptors guard received prior to the start of the Spurs' game at ScotiaBank Arena. Doncic (ankle) out versus Nuggets The Mavericks were without their franchise player on Friday. Luka Doncic was held out of the team's game versus the Nuggets due to an ankle injury. Jackson Jr. out indefinitely One of the league's top rookies was sidelined versus the Clippers on Friday night. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Grizzlies power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. will be out with a quad injury for the foreseeable future. Towns out versus Knicks due to car accident The T-Wolves were without their franchise player for their first game after the All-Star break. Karl-Anthony Towns missed Friday's game against the Knicks following a car accident.