MIAMI -- For the Oklahoma City Thunder, outlet passes are as outdated as typewriters and pay phones.

Who needs outlet passes when you have point guard Russell Westbrook grabbing a season high-tying 17 rebounds -- all of them on the defensive end -- and beating everyone down court?

"That was 17 times where we could generate a fast break just through him," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "(Westbrook) has it, the team sees it, and now we can get out and run. The defense is backpedaling, and (Westbrook) is difficult to stop."

Westbrook, who also had 29 points and 11 assists, produced the 52nd triple-double of his career, leading the Thunder to a 106-94 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Thunder star made 11 of 22 from the floor and 7 of 10 from the foul line.

"Just do whatever you got to do to put your body on the line for your teammates," Westbrook said. "That's what I try to do."

Westbrook, who is attempting to join Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the only NBA players to average a triple-double for an entire season, had his latest one of those wrapped up with 6:40 left in the third quarter.

"He's a unique player," Donovan said of Westbrook, who has 15 triple-doubles this season, three less than the rest of the players in the league combined. "When you see him going up above (taller) guys to get rebounds, it's really remarkable."

In addition to Westbrook's customary heroics, the Thunder (20-12) outscored Miami 58-32 in the paint. Contributing to that statistic were Thunder centers Enes Kanter (19 points) and Steven Adams (15 points).

Oklahoma City also had a 16-4 edge on fast-break points -- thanks in large part to Westbrook -- and a 46-32 rebounding advantage.

Miami (10-22) fell to 5-12 at home this season despite a career-high-tying 22 points from Josh Richardson.

"It felt good -- I was attacking," Richardson said. "I wish we could have gotten the win. ... (Westbrook) is having a historic season. I'm not sure anybody can sit down and stop him."

The Heat played without starters Goran Dragic, Josh McRoberts and Dion Waiters. In addition, the Heat momentarily lost guard Tyler Johnson in the fourth quarter when he jammed fingers on his shooting hand against the backboard. But Johnson quickly returned.

Miami got two players off the injured list -- Rodney McGruder (left ankle) and Wayne Ellington (right hamstring).

McGruder, who had missed three straight games, scored seven points. Ellington, who had missed four straight games, was scoreless in 13 minutes.

The injury to the 29-year-old McRoberts, who is in the third season of a four-year $22.6 million deal, was the most serious blow to Miami because it could keep him out for a while.

McRoberts, who missed 88 games the past two years, had started 14 consecutive contests until this last bit of bad news.

Oklahoma City rushed to a 33-19 lead in the first quarter. The Thunder shot 63.2 percent in the second quarter, when they led by as many as 22 points before setting for a 61-48 lead.

Oklahoma City extended its lead to 87-69 after three quarters. The Thunder held Miami to 39.1 percent shooting in the third.

The Thunder, which shot 51.2 percent from the floor for the game, were never seriously challenged in the fourth.

It helped that Westbrook played 37 minutes, competing to the very end.

"From my perspective, some of the most impressive plays he made were diving in front of our bench, taking the charge at the end when they were up 12," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Every single possession is the most important possession to him.

"It's a great lesson to our young guys. What defines greatness is consistency."

NOTES: Thunder SG Victor Oladipo, who is second on the team in scoring (16.1 points per game), missed his eighth straight game (right wrist). ... Thunder PG Russell Westbrook leads all NBA players in scoring and is No. 1 in rebounding among guards. The only NBA player to average a triple-double for an entire season was Oscar Robertson in 1961-1962, when he produced 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and a league-best 11.4 assists. In 1981-82, Magic Johnson came close, averaging 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 9.5 assists. ... Miami SG Dion Waiters (groin) hasn't played since Nov. 26.