Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant shoots over Mitchell Robinson of the Knicks during the Nets’ 110-17 win Sunday afternoon. Seth Wenig/Associated Press
NEW YORK — Kevin Durant scored a season-high 53 points, making the tiebreaking 3-pointer in a sensational show for a crowd that included Kyrie Irving, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the New York Knicks 110-107 on Sunday.
Durant’s 3-pointer snapped a 103-all tie with 56 seconds remaining. He added four more free throws to keep the Nets ahead, finishing one point shy of his career high.
Durant also had nine assists and six rebounds in his 60th career 40-point performance.
Irving had a nice view while attending his first Nets home game this season, though still unable to play in New York. There is no longer a mandate that spectators are vaccinated against the coronavirus, but there is still one requiring it for someone who works there. Irving has not been vaccinated.
So the star guard had a seat in the stands, just as he did a night earlier to watch his college team, Duke, lose in the ACC championship game. He walked off arm-in-arm with Durant toward the Nets locker room after the game ended.
Afterward, Durant called on New York City Mayor Eric Adams to change what the Nets feel is a confusing vaccine mandate.
“It’s ridiculous. I don’t understand it at all,” Durant said.
Andre Drummond had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who won their third straight. Bruce Brown scored 15 points.
Julius Randle scored 26 points and Evan Fournier had 25 for the Knicks, who finished 3-4 on their road trip. RJ Barrett had 24.
Durant scored 16 points in the first quarter and Brooklyn was ahead much of the way, but the Knicks rallied to take a 103-101 lead on Barrett’s basket. Drummond’s dunk tied it before Durant sprinted out to the wing to catch and fire in his fourth 3-pointer of the game. He finished 19 of 37 from the field.
76ERS 116, MAGIC 114: Joel Embiid had 35 points and 16 rebounds and visiting Philadelphia kept rallying, finally beating Orlando in overtime.
Down by 17 points in the first half and by 10 in the fourth quarter, the Sixers were behind 113-109 with 1:25 left in OT.
James Harden hit one of two free throws with 6.7 seconds left in overtime to give Philadelphia a two-point lead. Cole Anthony missed a 3-pointer at the horn for Orlando.
Harden finished with 26 points and Tobias Harris added 25 for the 76ers.
Wendell Carter Jr. led Orlando with 23 points and 12 rebounds.
SUNS 140, LAKERS 111: Devin Booker scored 30 points, Deandre Ayton had 23 points and 16 rebounds and NBA-leading Phoenix routed visiting Los Angeles.
LeBron James led the Lakers, who have lost 10 straight road games, with 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He did not play in the fourth quarter.
James reached a milestone with his 10,000th career assist in the second quarter on a Carmelo Anthony 3-pointer. James in the only player in NBA history with at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists.
CLIPPERS 106, PISTONS 102: Marcus Morris scored 31 points and Luke Kennard had 16 against their former team, helping Los Angeles rally from an 18-point deficit at Detroit.
Reggie Jackson, another former Piston, finished with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
Jeremi Grant scored 21 for Detroit, and Cade Cunningham had 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
GRIZZLIES 125, THUNDER 118: Desmond Bane scored 21 points, and Memphis fended off a late push by host Oklahoma City.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points and seven assists. Darius Bazley had a season-high 29 points to go along with 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which has lost six of its last seven games.
HAWKS 131, PACERS 128: Trae Young scored 33 of his 47 points in the first half, and Atlanta won at home.
Atlanta, 10th in the Eastern Conference, had seven players score in double figures and shot 54.8% from the field.
Tyrese Halliburton and Buddy Hield each scored 25 points for Indiana, which has dropped four of five and 13 of 17.
PELICANS 130, ROCKETS 105: Jonas Valanciunas had 32 points and 10 rebounds, and New Orleans emphatically snapped a four-game skid with a victory at home against Houston.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.