Russell Westbrook reaches 25,000-point milestone as Clippers beat Pistons
Westbrook has 23 points and nine assists and becomes just the 25th NBA player to reach the mark as he and Kawhi Leonard (33 points) help the Clippers survive a slow start in a 136-125 win
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook dunks during the second half of their 136-125 comeback win against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. Westbrook became the 25th NBA player to score 25,000 career points. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook leaves the court after scoring his 25,000th career point during their victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard drives as Detroit Pistons guard Alec Burks defends during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, left, drives as Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard defends during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey drives past Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard on his way to the basket during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard Norman Powell handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Pistons guard Monte Morris, left, shoots as Clippers guard Russell Westbrook defends during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham, right, tries to get around Clippers guard Russell Westbrook during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham drives as Clippers center Mason Plumlee defends during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers forward Paul George, left, protects the ball from Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey drives as Clippers star Paul George defends during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey, center, drives between Clippers stars Paul George (13), James Harden (1) and Kawhi Leonard, far right, during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams watches from the sideline during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Detroit Pistons’ Jaden Ivey drives to the basket past Clippers star Kawhi Leonard during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook brings the ball up the court during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Detroit Pistons’ Marcus Sasser drives to the basket past Clippers guard Russell Westbrook during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham gets to the basket for a layup as Clippers star Kawhi Leonard defends during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers star Paul George brings the ball up the court during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham, right, talks to teammate Jaden Ivey during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic drives as Clippers guard Russell Westbrook defends during the first half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard Terance Mann dunks in front of the Detroit Pistons’ Bojan Bogdanovic during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook drives up the court past the Detroit Pistons’ Jaden Ivey during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook shoots over Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue directs his players from the sideline during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard James Harden drives between Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, left, and Cade Cunningham during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard James Harden celebrates a basket during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers star Paul George drives as Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham defends during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook shoots as Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey defends during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard Norman Powell drives to the basket next to the Detroit Pistons’ Alec Burks during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook chases the ball after it was knocked out of his hands by the Detroit Pistons’ Jaden Ivey, right, during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Amir Coffey shoots in front of Detroit Pistons forward Danilo Gallinari during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard Amir Coffey takes a shot in front of the Detroit Pistons’ Danilo Gallinari, left, during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Terance Mann takes a shot as the Detroit Pistons’ James Wiseman defends during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook drives to the basket between a group of Detroit Pistons during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook dunks during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers forward Paul George scores as Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham defends during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook gets to the basket for a layup in front of the Detroit Pistons’ Jaden Ivey to score his 25,000th career point during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook smiles after scoring his 25,000th career point during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, left, celebrates with James Harden as he exits during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. Westbrook joined Harden as two of the 25 NBA players to have scored 25,000 career points. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, left, celebrates with teammate James Harden after scoring his 25,000th career point during the second half of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. Harden reached the milestone earlier this season. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers center Daniel Theis dunks in front of the Detroit Pistons’ Danilo Gallinari during the second half on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, right, celebrates with teammate James Harden, left, and Detroit Pistons assistant coach Mark Bryant after scoring his 25,000th career point during the second half of their game against the Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook leaves the court after scoring his 25,000th career point during their victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT — Russell Westbrook has added his name to another exclusive club.
Westbrook scored 23 points to become the 25th player in NBA history with 25,000 points, Kawhi Leonard had 21 of his 33 points in the first half and the Clippers put on an offensive show in a 136-125 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.
Westbrook, who also had nine assists, joined teammate James Harden on the list of players to score 25,000 points after Harden accomplished the feat in December. Westbrook reached the mark on his final basket, a running layup with 2:44 left.
“I’m so grateful to be on this team,” said Westbrook, who immediately fouled Cade Cunningham after his basket and celebrated with his teammates near the bench. “I don’t take any of this for granted. I give thanks to God for allowing me to be able to play the game I love. It’s a blessing. I’m grateful to be able to play the game of basketball and use my platform to impact and inspire other people.”
Westbrook – the NBA’s career leader in triple-doubles (198) – joined Lakers star LeBron James as the only other player in NBA history with at least 25,000 points, 9,000 assists, and 8,000 rebounds.
“It says a lot about the work he’s put in in his career,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “It’s a tribute to him and his hard work, his style of play. He brings it every single night. No matter what, you can always count on that energy and that juice every single night.”
The Clippers got off to a slow start while trailing by as many as 14 points in the first quarter, but scored 109 points in the final three periods. They shot 59.6% from the floor and 48.3% on 3-pointers.
“We had a bunch of defensive mistakes at the start of the game,” Lue said. “We weren’t guarding their shooters the way we planned, but we started paying attention to detail after the first timeout. Monty (Williams) has the Pistons playing pretty good basketball, but it is tough to close games with such a young team.”
Paul George added 18 points for the Clippers, who have won seven of eight and are a league-best 23-5 since Dec. 1.
George played 27:20 after missing the previous game with groin soreness.
“He looked good,” Lue said. “We were going to play him more minutes, but we didn’t need him.”
Jalen Ivey had 28 points and Bojan Bogdanovic added 26 for Detroit, which is 4-41 after a 2-1 start. Marcus Sasser added 21 points.
“You can’t have turnovers and some of the undisciplined errors we had against a team like that,” said Williams, whose team allowed 25 points on 17 rebounds. “It’s something that has hurt us all season long. When we take care of (the ball), we have a better chance of success.”
The Clippers led 65-59 at the half and their scoring pace didn’t let up in the third. Leonard reached 30 points with five minutes left in the quarter when he put them ahead 89-80.
Detroit answered with an 8-0 run before Westbrook hit a 3-pointer. Norman Powell’s last-second 3-pointer gave the Clippers a 101-90 lead going into the fourth.
Powell started the fourth with another 3-pointer, and the Clippers led 108-90 after the first minute of the fourth. Detroit got within 116-109, but the Clippers scored nine points in 74 seconds to ice the game.
Westbrook and Ivey had a brief conversation at the end of the game.
“I actually got to work out with Russ before the start of my rookie year,” Ivey said. “He gave me a lot of advice. He’s just a great, humble dude. He took me under his wing a little bit.”
UP NEXT
The Clippers play at the Miami Heat on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT.
