The Oklahoma City Thunder aren't like the Golden State Warriors, but that doesn't keep them from winning basketball games. Kevin Durant hung 44 points on the New York Knicks as the Thunder withstood yet another impressive Kristaps Porzingis performance to win, 128-122, in overtime Tuesday.
NBA scores 2016: Kevin Durant isn’t ready to let Kristaps Porzingis take over the league
Durant put up a season-high 44 points to lead the Thunder over the Knicks in OT, while the Raptors kept on streaking in the East.
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Durant has been playing great basketball as of late, but he finally took over against the Knicks, scoring 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to bring the Thunder back from an 11-point deficit in the final frame. Russell Westbrook was no slouch either with 30 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds on a night when the Thunder had to dig deep against an undermanned Knicks squad.
Carmelo Anthony was out, but Porzingis was once again superb. He had 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks, and he was in the middle of every big play defensively for the Knicks. Langston Galloway's 21 points led six Knicks players in double figures, but it wasn't enough to give them an upset win.
With a 10-point lead and eight minutes to play in the fourth, the Knicks seemed poised to pull away to victory. Then Durant scored 13 points in the final 6:30, including the game-tying bucket with 16.9 seconds left, to force an extra period. Durant did what he needed to do in overtime, too, hitting a big bucket to give the Thunder a three-point lead before icing the game with free throws down the stretch.
The Knicks, on the other hand, missed an opportunity to notch a huge win without Anthony. They built up a double-digit fourth-quarter lead only to give it up and fall into the habit of relying on isolation play after isolation play down the stretch.
They stayed in the game because Porzingis was everywhere, disrupting the Thunder offense play after play. He has the ability to match anyone’s speed and athleticism, even Westbrook’s.
But Porzingis wasn't enough. Arron Afflalo was 6 of 21 from the field, but the Knicks continued to feed him the ball in the post. It stalled their offense, forcing them to score on broken plays.
Porzingis wasn’t perfect, either. Durant had his way with him on a drive to the hoop in the fourth.
It was a valiant effort from Porzingis and the Knicks, but they aren’t at the level of the Thunder yet. Durant and Westbrook keep willing this team to victory.
Durant's big game is encouraging. He hadn't scored more than 40 points since the second game of the season. Compare that to his 2013-14 MVP season when he scored 40 or more in 14 games, per BasketballReference.com. Durant still has it, but he hasn't been exactly the scoring freak he once was. If he can consistently be that lethal scorer alongside Westbrook's intensity, the Thunder will be even more dangerous than they already are.
3 other things from Tuesday
The Raptors are the second-best team in the East. The Cleveland Cavaliers should start worrying soon.
Just like the Warriors, the Cavaliers have the benefit of the doubt in the East. They’re going to advance to the NBA Finals unless something crazy happens.
Something crazy might be happening in Toronto, where the Raptors have won nine in a row -- the last three by double digits. They easily dispatched the inconsistent Washington Wizards, 106-89, on Tuesday. Kyle Lowry led the way with 29 points before exiting with what appeared to be an arm injury (he told media after the game he was fine).
The Raptors ran the Wizards out of the gym because of their versatility and ability to get to the hole. Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who had 17 points, sliced through the lane at will. Cory Joseph came off the bench to score 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting and the Raptors outrebounded the Warriors by 13 behind the play of Jonas Valanciunas down low. John Wall had 18 points and 14 assists, but he shot just 6 of 17 from the field and missed a few wild, twisting layups.
The Raptors' nine-game winning streak hasn't been filled with big wins, but they've improved as the streak has gained steam. The last three wins came against the Heat, Clippers and Wizards -- all teams with playoff hopes. Lowry and DeRozan give the Raptors two offensive threats, and DeMarre Carroll will return from his knee injury eventually. The Raptors aren't at the same level as the Cavaliers yet, but they're making progress.
The Los Angeles Clippers were thrilled to play some basketball.
After Blake Griffin broke his hand in an altercation with an equipment staff member, the Clippers needed anything to change the subject. A win over the Pacers was just what the doctor ordered. Chris Paul took over the scoring load with 26 points to lead the Clippers to a 91-89 win on the road. Paul George had 31 points and 11 rebounds, but the Pacers still couldn't hang with the shorthanded Clippers.
Unfortunately for the Clippers, this win is only a short reprieve: They'll be without Griffin for at least four to six weeks. Sure, they've gone 12-3 without him in the lineup, but the Clippers are a clear step behind the West's top three teams. Wesley Johnson was great off the bench with 15 points against the Pacers, but the Clippers can't rely on steady output from a bench that's still a work in progress.
The Portland Trail Blazers would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.
DeMarcus Cousins and the Kings were exhausted. Cousins had 17 points after scoring 56 the night before, and the Blazers coasted to an easy 112-97 win. The win put Portland at 21-26, ahead of the 20-25 Kings in the standings. Normally, playing sub-.500 basketball isn’t good enough in the West, but here we are.
Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have the Blazers right in the thick of the playoff race. Together, they’re one of the best backcourts in the league. They ran rampant against the Kings. McCollum had 18 points to lead the Blazers and Lillard had 15 points and 13 assists. The Kings were coming off a double-overtime loss, but the ease with which the Blazers handled them Tuesday was a great sign for their playoff hopes.
Play of the night
No defensive rebound is safe when Porzingis is on the court.
4 fun things
Scores
Clippers 91, Pacers 89 (Clips Nation recap | Indy Cornrows recap)
76ers 113, Suns 103 (Liberty Ballers recap | Bright Side of the Sun recap)
Heat 102, Nets 98 (Hot Hot Hoops recap | Nets Daily recap)
Thunder 128, Knicks 122 OT (Welcome to Loud City recap | Posting and Toasting recap)
Raptors 106, Wizards 89 (Raptors HQ recap | Bullets Forever recap)
Bucks 107, Magic 100 (Brew Hoop recap | Orlando Pinstriped Post)
Blazers 112, Kings 97 (Blazers' Edge recap | Sactown Royalty recap)
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