Thunder at Knicks
Russell Westbrook is the most exciting player in the NBA right now, and his historic stat lines are dragging the Oklahoma City Thunder into the win column. Westbrook will try to post his third straight triple-double and lead the Thunder to a third straight win when they visit the New York Knicks on Monday.
Westbrook tied LeBron James with his 44th career triple-double - in 395 fewer games - when he recorded 17 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds in a 106-88 win over Detroit on Saturday. "I'm happy we won - that's the most important part for me," Westbrook told reporters. "But I definitely don't take anything for granted. Like I said, every night I step on the floor I try to compete at a high level and (I'm) thankful I can play the game I love every night." There was a time when Knicks point guard Derrick Rose was the most explosive player in the league, but the 28-year-old needs to pick his spots more carefully now after several seasons marred by injury. Rose has yet to miss a game this season but went 6-of-20 from the field at Charlotte on Saturday as New York had a three-game winning streak come to an end in a 107-102 loss.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma, MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (10-8): Westbrook joined Magic Johnson as the only players in history to post 15-assist triple-doubles on back-to-back days with Saturday's performance and is averaging 31.2 points, 11.1 assists and 9.9 rebounds. "To put up those numbers, the people that are in that category, he's a Hall of Fame player," Thunder coach Billy Donovan told reporters. "I mean, that's really what he is. He's a Hall of Fame player. And it's really remarkable what he's doing." Westbrook is finding Anthony Morrow of late, and the reserve shooting guard scored in double figures for the first two times this season in the last two games.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (8-8): New York won its last six home games, and star forward Carmelo Anthony is averaging 24.4 points at home while slumping to 21.1 on the road. Anthony exploded for 35 points on 14-of-25 shooting in a 113-111 home win over Charlotte on Friday but managed 18 points on 7-of-25 from the field at the Hornets on Saturday. Power forward Kristaps Porzingis is suffering through the same inconsistency while averaging 22 points on 51.4 percent shooting at home and 19.6 points on 45.9 percent shooting on the road.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Knicks SG Courtney Lee is 6-of-11 from 3-point range in the last two games.
2. Westbrook and James are tied for sixth on the all-time triple-double list, with Larry Bird (59) ahead in fifth.
3. the teams split two meetings last season, with Oklahoma City grabbing a 128-122 overtime win in New York.