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 Durant poured in a season-high 44 points, and Westbrook produced his
30th double-double of the season. It was the second time this season
Durant went over the 40-point mark after he scored 43 against the
Orlando Magic on Oct. 30.
"I'm not really into how many points I score anymore," said Durant,
a four-time league scoring champion. "I try to play winning and
consistent basketball. If I play a good brand of basketball, if I
play the right way, that stuff will come."
Durant pulled down three of his 14 rebounds in overtime. He shot
12-for-26 from the floor and 16-for-18 from the line.
Westbrook recorded 30 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the
Thunder (34-13).
The duo's output was significant considering their resiliency on the
court. Westbrook logged 44 minutes, while Durant played 43 minutes.
"It is really hard to sustain that type of intensity," Thunder coach
Billy Donovan said. "They are human, and they need a break every
once in a while.
"The minutes they have gotten as of late has been managed
reasonably."
The Knicks (22-25) were without leading scorer Carmelo Anthony, who
has a sore left knee. New York are 0-5 without the Eastern
Conference All Star, who is averaging 21.3 points this season.
"Every team is impacted when certain guys are out of the lineup,"
Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. "That being said, we still had
enough to win the game.
"We often focus on the last play of the game. In reality, you have
to get a stop, and that was part of the game we couldn't sustain."
Fisher said Anthony's injury is a "day-to-day thing."
Anthony was replaced by Lance Thomas, who scored 16 points. Langston
Galloway came off the bench to lead New York with a season-high 21
points. Derrick Williams added 19 and 10 rebounds.
Durant scored four of Oklahoma City's last six points, all from the
line, in overtime. New York never led in the extra session.
Durant's two free throws and a basket from Serge Ibaka gave the
Thunder a 120-116 edge in overtime before Galloway's three-pointer
brought the Knicks within a point with 1:43 left.
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Durant's 13-foot jumper tied the game for the 22nd time, 113-113,
with 16 seconds to go. New York guard Arron Afflalo's baseline
jumper at the buzzer went off the back rim.
"Arron is a guy who has closed for us before," Fisher said of the
last shot.
"He is comfortable and confident in those situations. Typically what
you find is guys who are comfortable in those positions find a way
to get the ball because they want the opportunity."
Galloway's three-pointer with 1:50 to play in regulation drew the
Knicks even at 109-109 and started a 7-0 run.
Kristaps Porzingis (15 points) scored on a runner for his first
points of the second half, and Williams turned a Galloway steal into
a layup for a 113-109 New York lead with 59 seconds to play.
Durant had given the Thunder a 109-106 edge with a three-pointer
from the top of the key.
The Knicks opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run to give them a
99-88 lead, the largest advantage for either team in the game.
The Thunder were not able to maintain their 79-73 third-quarter
lead, their biggest of the night. The Knicks used an 8-2 burst to
knot it at 81-81 on a jumper from Thomas with 2:14 left in the
quarter. Both teams shot 55 percent from the floor in the quarter.
The lead exchanged 10 times in the second quarter, and the score was
knotted five times before Thomas' three-point play gave the Knicks a
60-57 edge with 1:42 left in the quarter.
Durant deposited 13 points to lead the Thunder to a 38-34 first
quarter lead. The score was tied on six occasions in the quarter.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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