Durant, Thunder nip Knicks in OT

NEW YORK – Kevin Durant heard all about Golden State and San Antonio the last few days, and isn’t bothered the NBA’s best have been hogging all the headlines.

“We just try to worry about us and what we could do every single day to get better,” he said.

Hard to imagine him being much better than he was Tuesday.

Durant scored a season-high 44 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the New York Knicks, 128-122, in overtime.

Durant hit the tying jumper with 16.2 seconds left in regulation, then scored seven points in overtime to surpass the 43 points he had against Orlando on Oct. 30, a game that went to two overtimes.

One was all the Thunder needed this time, as Durant hit four straight free throws in the final half-minute to finish 16 for 18 from the line.

“Just be calm in those situations, man,” Durant said. “Worst that can happen is you lose the basketball game.”

He wouldn’t let them.

In other results, Miami repulsed Brooklyn, 102-98; Toronto clobbered Washington, 106-89; Milwaukee subdued Orlando, 107-100; Portland crushed Sacramento, 112-97; Philadelphia beat Phoenix, 113-103; the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the Indiana Pacers, 91-89; and the Dallas Mavericks edged the Los Angeles Lakers, 92-90.

Back in New York, Russell Westbrook finished with 30 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Thunder, who bounced back from a loss to Brooklyn on Sunday to win for the eighth time in nine games. Oklahoma City never trailed in OT after Westbrook opened the scoring with a basket.

“We’ve been here before,” Westbrook said. “We have a lot of older guys that know what to do and we did a good job of playing the right way.”

Langston Galloway scored 21 points for the Knicks, who played without injured leading scorer Carmelo Anthony. Derrick Williams added 19 points and 10 rebounds, but the Knicks couldn’t hold on after leading by 11 in the fourth quarter.

Durant helped wipe that lead away, then did it again when the Knicks recovered to go back ahead by four in the final minute of regulation.

“I’ve been watching him growing up now the past few years, learning his game,” Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis said. “He just did what he does. That’s KD.”

Serge Ibaka had 12 points and 17 rebounds for the Thunder, who got a boost with the earlier-than-expected return of starting center Steven Adams from a sprained right elbow that was expected to keep him out for at least two more games. He had nine points and eight boards.

Arron Afflalo scored 17 points for the Knicks but shot 6 for 21, with the potential winner going in and out before the regulation buzzer.