NBA News Wire
Thunder 112, Knicks 100
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY — Forward Kevin Durant posted 41 points, 10 rebounds and nine assist to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 112-100 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Durant came up one assist shy of his third triple-double this season.
The Knicks (20-31) were still within striking distance of the Thunder when they entered the fourth quarter. Trailing by eight, the game was up for grabs.
But Oklahoma City (41-12) ended those hopes quickly as Durant and forward Ibaka helped push the lead to 15 with three minutes left in the contest.
New York guard Raymond Felton hit back-to-back buckets to close to within 11. But a pair of Durant free throws put the game away and also put him over the 40-point mark for seventh time this season.
Ibaka scored 16 points to go along with nine rebounds. Guard Reggie Jackson scored 19 on 8-of-15 shooting.
Felton paced New York with 16 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Forward Carmelo Anthony, the league’s second-leading scorer, was held to 15 points on 5-of-19 shooting. Forward Amar’e Stoudemire came off the bench to score 16 in the loss.
Coming off the loss to Orlando in which he shot 1 of 7 in the fourth quarter Friday, Durant didn’t waste any time Sunday. He scored 11 first-quarter points as Anthony and Shumpert took turns trying to guard him.
But it was the Knicks’ control of the offensive boards that allowed them to only trail 58-53 at halftime.
NOTES: New York Knicks coach Mike Woodson addressed the rumors of him being fired. “My thing to our players is that Woodson is a big boy,” Woodson said. “He’s been around the block a few times. It’s a part of the business if it happens. But you can’t worry about me. It’s never been about me.” … Oklahoma City G Russell Westbrook went through a full speed workout before the game but still hasn’t been cleared for full contact practice. According to coach Scott Brooks, he is still on track to return after the All-Star break. … Woodson was asked if seeing F Andrea Bargnani taking shots while still in his walking boot. “I didn’t know he was taking shots,” Woodson said. “You saw him shooting the ball? Well, that’s new news to me.” … Knicks F Metta World Peace stuck up for Oklahoma State G Marcus Smart after shoving a Texas Tech fan Saturday. ” If a fan screams something at me, I don’t know what that person has been through, you know. He could have or she could have grown up rough or maybe in a single family household. I don’t know what would make somebody scream negative things at somebody, maybe they’re just having fun. In a pro game, I’ve learned to accept it because they pay to watch us play and hey, I appreciate it. Then I go home and I finish watching ‘Breaking Bad.'”
