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OKLAHOMA CITY -- If there were any doubts left about whether Russell Westbrook still had his same explosiveness, the Oklahoma City point guard put those to rest once and for all. Westbrook finished with 22 points, including two thundering dunks, as the Thunder pulled away in the second half for a 107-93 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Kevin Durant had 23 points and 10 assists, and Serge Ibaka added 17 points and 13 rebounds as Oklahoma City (3-1) won its 11 straight game over the Mavericks, including the playoffs. The last loss for the Thunder against Dallas was on Jan. 2, 2012. The win was also the Thunders second straight since the return of its All-Star point guard, who rebounded from a 5-of-16 shooting performance in his first game back to finish 10 of 20 on Wednesday. The two dunks -- including one in the fourth quarter when he soared down the lane to give the Thunder its biggest lead at 97-80 -- were the true measure of Westbrooks health after two off-season knee surgeries. "Thats God-given ability; you cant take that away," Durant said. "I knew he would come back right, and he looked great tonight." Monta Ellis led Dallas (3-2), which was playing its second game in two nights, with 20 points. Jae Crowder and Shawn Marion added 17 points each, while Dirk Nowitzki finished with 16. Ellis had seven of the Mavericks 21 turnovers, which resulted in 27 fast-break points for Oklahoma City. "They are a good team, and to win this game in this atmosphere you really have got to be right and really have to be functioning well on all levels," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "And it just wasnt there for us tonight." The Thunder led 57-51 at halftime, quickly extending that lead to as many as 15 points in the third quarter and remaining ahead by double figures throughout the fourth. Westbrook who provided several of the games biggest highlights, putting to rest any doubt about the health of his knee while finishing 10 of 20 from the field. The point guard was 5 of 16 in his first game back, a win over Phoenix, but he took control early against the Mavericks -- soaring through the lane for two one-handed highlight dunks. "Its what we expect," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "Thats who he is. Hes an aggressive player. Hes a talented player that has improved every year. "This is the guy that we all knew what he was going to do when he came back." Westbrook wasted little time in showing there are no ill effects in his second game back after his most recent knee surgery, scoring eight of Oklahoma Citys first 11 points. He only finished with four assists, but he had plenty of help in the facilitating role from Durant and his 10 assists as well as five assists off the bench from Reggie Jackson. The Thunder finished with a season-high 28 assists as a team. Also, rookie Steven Adams finished with six points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes of action. The centre dunked off an assist from Durant to put Oklahoma City up 42-39 in the second quarter, and he followed with a steal on the other end. Adams then threw the outlet pass to a streaking Westbrook, who finished the break with a one-handed dunk that put the Thunder up 46-39 and set the tone for the comfortable second half. "It was good for me," Westbrook said. "Im still on the road to getting back to where I need to be." Dallas led by as many as five points in the first quarter, taking a 20-15 lead after a drive by Ellis. Nowitzki put the Mavericks up 29-26 with a 3-pointer late in the first quarter, but they shot 42.2 per cent (36 of 85) for the game compared to a 43-of-79 (54.4 per cent) shooting effort by Oklahoma City. "Theyre one of the best teams," Dallas forward DeJuan Blair said. "Were also one of the best teams, and thats just what you get." NOTES: Ellis entered averaging 25 points per game, ahead of Nowitzkis 20.3 ... The last player to lead the Mavericks in scoring for the season was Michael Finley during 1999-2000, Nowitzkis second season in the NBA. ... Dallas Shawn Marion moved into 21st on the NBAs all-time list with his two steals for the game, passing Charles Barkley. Marion has 1,649 steals for his career. ... Vince Carter was ejected with 4:01 remaining in the third quarter after an elbow to the face of Adams. 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In the wake of the bullying scandal in Miami, executives from teams around the league who gathered for the annual scouting combine spoke Thursday about being on guard to ensure their locker rooms are respectful and tolerant — especially with Michael Sam, expected to soon become the first publicly revealed homosexual in the NFL. Predictably, general managers and coaches said a culture of respect was already in place with their clubs before Richie Incognito, the Dolphins offensive lineman who led the extreme hazing detailed last week in an NFL-ordered report, became an infamous name. But while there havent been many major signs of response to the scandal, some tangible signs of change have at least emerged. Teams have begun to include language in coaches contracts that forces assistants to act with more tolerance than some of the Dolphins staff did. The move is designed to limit a teams liability if another Miami-like situation were to emerge with another club. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman confirmed that change, first reported by ESPN. "I think because its so much in light right now, that you have to monitor the locker room," Spielman said. "Itll be interesting to see once we get down to the owners meetings in March. Im sure thatll be a subject thatll be talked about." Dolphins coach Joe Philbin, drawing an overflow crowd of reporters in his first appearance since the report came out, forcefully reiterated his responsibility for all that happens to his team and promised a "better workplace." "I have to do a better job. Im going to look at every way — the way we educate, the way we communicate, the way we talk to one another," Philbin said. "Im going to look at every avenue." Reaction from the other 31 teams to the bullying report was far more muted, though other coaches — Dennis Allen of the Oakland Raiders among them — acknowledged the importance of keeping a better handle on locker room dynamics. Everyone, though, must deal with the questions about Sam, the Missouri defensive end projected to be drafted in the middle rounds. The NFL recently reminded teams of laws against asking draft prospects about their sexuality and the guidelines for interviewing players this week in Indianapolis.dddddddddddd A year ago, three players complained they were asked inappropriate questions they believed were intended to seek details about their sexual orientation. Talking about harmony is easy in the off-season, of course, but maintaining an atmosphere of respect and tolerance is another story once dozens of players are thrown together. With a 53-man roster, no coach can come close to hearing every word. "Its hard. You try to set a good culture and a good environment in your building and hope for the best," Denver Broncos coach John Fox said. Clearly, this issue will be scrutinized this year, with Sam entering the league, and the Dolphins trying to repair their image. "What happened there has nothing to do with what we are doing in Tampa Bay," new Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith said. "The locker room has been there all along. You have to have strong veteran leadership in the locker room. As the head football coach I have to have a pulse on what is going on in the locker room. Rely on a lot of people. Have a relationship were information comes to me. "No, we are not going to change what weve done. Our program has always been about acceptance. Everybody feeling like they are part. Everybody feeling good about coming to work every day in an environment where they can do their best." That is what this next class of rookies is counting on. "In every locker room you go theres going to be conflict," Memphis punter Tom Hornsey said. "Thats just the nature of the game. Its very competitive. Its got a lot of testosterone flowing through. ... But its not a concern. Im pretty laid back and just take it as it is." So whats the secret, then, to making sure the boys-will-be-boys culture that still exists doesnt become the dominant vibe of the locker room? Well, like with many issues, the Super Bowl champions are usually a good place to start. "Everybody puts pressure on themselves, and we try to create a culture thats outgoing, fun, aggressive," Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said. "Lifes too short to stress yourself out and stress other people out." ' ' '