Russell Westbrook got his third straight triple-double and nearly did it by halftime, finishing with 27 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists for his NBA-leading eighth of the season as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Knicks 112-103 on Monday night.
Westbrook had 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists at the break and is now averaging a triple-double for the season, raising his averages to 30.9 points, 11.3 assists and 10.3 rebounds through more than a month of the season.
Enes Kanter added a season-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Steven Adams had 14 points and 10 boards in the Thunder's third straight victory.
Derrick Rose scored a season-best 30 points, but the Knicks had their six-game home winning streak snapped. Kristaps Porzingis added 21 points and Carmelo Anthony had 18, but shot just 4 for 19.
Westbrook fell just shy of his third straight 15-assist game, but had his highest rebound total of the season - and one off his career best - to keep the Thunder rolling as they've rebounded nicely from a recent three-game skid.
The Knicks led by 11 in the first quarter and things were coming easily, with Joakim Noah finding Porzingis for two lobs in the second period. But the Thunder began to grab control with Westbrook's hustle and Kanter's muscle, getting numerous baskets inside to turn around the game.
It happened so quickly that Westbrook nearly had the stat sheet stuffed before the break.
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Joffrey Lauvergne missed a 3-pointer that would've given Westbrook a 10th assist with 32 seconds left in the half, but the point guard who was MVP of the All-Star Game on this floor two years ago had a shot at the halftime triple-double after grabbing his 10th rebound on the defensive end with a little more than 20 seconds left. He brought the ball up and tried to create, but turned it over on a pass with about 5 seconds to go.
TIP-INS
Thunder: They are 11-5 against the Knicks since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008. ... Coach Billy Donovan grew up in New York and played one season for the Knicks in 1987-88. He said he wasn't sure how many family members and friends would be attending the game.
Knicks: Coach Jeff Hornacek said reserve F Lance Thomas, who hasn't played since Nov. 12 because of a left ankle injury, has been working on the exercise bike and shooting and could be back at practice soon, though there is no timetable for his return to games.
STRANGE SCHEDULE
The Thunder are in the midst of a five-game stretch in which they won't play consecutive games in the same time zone. They came to New York for essentially a one-game road trip in between home games Saturday and Wednesday.
HE KNOWS NOAH
Noah hasn't made a huge impact yet in his first season with the Knicks, but his college coach thinks he will. Donovan, who coached Florida to back-to-back national championships when Noah played there, said the center has "incredible heart" and praised him as a team leader who cares only about winning.
"Nothing else matters to him and I've always admired that about him," Donovan said, "and he's going to go out and he's going to continue to improve and get better as a player. He's going to put his work in, but he's one of those guys in my opinion that's just truly all about sacrifice, team and winning. So I think he'll bring that to the Knicks throughout the entire season."
UP NEXT
Thunder: Host Washington on Wednesday, their first game against former Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks.
Knicks: Visit Minnesota on Wednesday to start another home-and-home set, with the return game at Madison Square Garden on Friday. New York just played a home-and-home against Charlotte last week.
