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NEW YORK — The Oklahoma City Thunder edged the New York Knicks 103-100 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden in a game that felt every bit like the NBA Finals preview it was billed to be .
Star Performances
Chet Holmgren led all scorers with 28 points and eight rebounds, tying a career high with six 3-pointers . The 7-foot-1 forward was unstoppable in the first half, scoring 22 points before the break on 6-of-8 shooting from deep .
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 26 points and eight assists, improving his remarkable career record at Madison Square Garden to 7-0 . His step-back 3-pointer with 88 seconds remaining pushed the Thunder’s lead to 103-96 and proved to be the dagger .
Lu Dort chipped in 16 points for Oklahoma City, which shot 38.1% from beyond the arc .
Knicks’ Comeback Falls Short
Karl-Anthony Towns posted a dominant double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds . Jalen Brunson finished with 16 points and a season-high 15 assists, but shot just 5-of-18 from the field .
The Knicks staged a furious third-quarter rally, outscoring the Thunder 40-27 after being held to just 40 points in the entire first half . New York actually took an 80-77 lead into the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma City’s defense clamped down in the final frame .
Final Seconds Drama
Trailing by three with six seconds remaining, the Knicks had two chances to tie. Jalen Brunson missed a corner 3-pointer, and after a tap-out, OG Anunoby’s attempt at the buzzer also clanked off the rim .
What It Means
The Thunder improved to an NBA-best 49-15, extending their lead atop the Western Conference to 3.5 games . The Knicks fell to 40-23 but remain third in the East, just 1.5 games behind the Celtics .
They Said It
“It’s always great to come away with a win. No better place to do it than the Mecca,” Holmgren said afterward .
Gilgeous-Alexander added: “We got the car back on the road in the fourth quarter, we were able to give ourselves a chance. Late game, you’ve just got to figure it out. I made plays. Guys made plays” .
Up Next
The Thunder host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, while the Knicks open a five-game road trip Friday in Denver .
