Kevin Durant leads Brooklyn Nets past Toronto Raptors in overtime thriller
Elsewhere in our NBA round-up for Tuesday night: Ayton returns to lead Suns to OT win over Blazers; Curry becomes 3-point king as Warriors beat Knicks; Pistons @ Bulls cancelled due to Covid-19
Wednesday 15 December 2021 07:50, UK
Kevin Durant notched the 14th triple-double of his career as he led a shorthanded Brooklyn Nets team past the Toronto Raptors in an overtime thriller.
Patty Mills made a key three to force overtime but it was Durant who paced the Nets. The former MVP had 34 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists as he compensated for his team having a number of key players missing.
Durant was upgraded from questionable just before the game because Brooklyn has seven players in the NBA's health and safety protocol, including starters James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre' Bembry. He responded to the last-minute add with his 14th triple-double of his career.
Durant was upgraded from questionable just before the game because Brooklyn has seven players in the NBA's health and safety protocol, including starters James Harden and LaMarcus Aldridge. Brooklyn won its third straight, with Mills scoring 30 points.
Fred VanVleet led the Raptors with 31 points, while Gary Trent Jr. and Pascal Siakam each finished with 25.
Ayton returns to lead Suns to OT win over Blazers
Deandre Ayton had 28 points and 13 rebounds in his return from a non-COVID-19 illness, and Phoenix held off Portland in overtime.
Chris Paul, who made the jumper that forced overtime, added 24 points and 14 assists for a Suns team still missing leading scorer Devin Booker because of a hamstring injury.
Damian Lillard had 31 points and 10 assists for the Trail Blazers, who lost their sixth straight.
The Suns have just five losses this season, but one of them came the night before against the Los Angeles Clippers. Phoenix had lost two of four before facing the struggling Blazers.
Curry becomes 3-point king as Warriors beat Knicks
Stephen Curry became the NBA's career leader for 3-pointers and scored 22 points, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 105-96 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
Curry made his 2,974th 3-pointer with 7:33 left in the first quarter, followed by a lengthy celebration inside Madison Square Garden.
The Warriors limited the Knicks to 36 per cent shooting while improving the NBA's best record to 23-5.
Jordan Poole had 19 points and nine rebounds, going 13 for 13 on free throws to overcome a 3-for-11 night from the field.
Julius Randle scored 31 points for the short-handed Knicks.
