In last night’s thrilling 128-122 overtime win over the Knicks, Kevin Durant put on a show at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
In the fourth quarter and overtime, he scored 22 of his 44 points, reminding the league weeks prior to the All-Star break that Steph Cury is not the lone offensive genius orbiting the NBA universe right about now. He also added 15 rebounds and five assists.
KD, aka The Easy Money Sniper, almost makes you numb to his offensive brilliance because he routinely drops 30-point games like Donald Trump drops arrogant, ignorant brain flatulence.
He also deflects attention in ways that many don’t. While most NBA players scream “Look at Me!!!” with chest-thumps and shimmies after the easiest wide open layup, Durant just goes about his business.
“I’m really not into how many points I score anymore,” Durant said after he mesmerized a raucous Garden audience. “I’m just trying to play great basketball and play efficient basketball, and I was pretty cool tonight, but just trying to play good basketball for my team and winning basketball…”
He might not be into how many points he scores, but internally, he has to get excited with the way he accumulates them. His driving dunk past New York’s rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis with 3:00 left in the fourth quarter to give OKC a 106-104 lead had Knicks fans dreaming of KD wearing blue and orange once his contract expires this summer and he heads into free agency.
Porzingis, aka Pour Buckets, also made a strong impression with his thunderous putback dunk over Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams, when he flew in to corral the rebound of Aaron Afflalo’s turnaround fadeaway jumper.
Durant hit the tying jumper with 16.2 seconds left in the fourth, then pumped in seven points during overtime as Russell Westbrook added 30 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, Langston Galloway scored 21 for the Knicks and Derrick Williams chipped in with 19 points and 10 rebounds for the home team, but Porzingis, who finished with 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks, made the play of the night that nearly shook The Garden to its core.
