Thunder/Knicks Live Game Blog

The Oklahoma City Thunder continue their three-game road trip when they visit the Knicks on Friday. Friday is the first meeting between the two teams this season, last year the Thunder swept the Kicks scoring 127 points in both games.

The Thunder are coming off another clutch performance beating the Pistons on Wednesday 114-107. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had his best night as a Thunder shooting 80 percent while scoring 27 points.

Gilgeous-Alexander was most impressive in the third quarter win in 9:58; he racked up 13 points. A Thunder win would be the 11th in their last 12 road games. Since the beginning of December, Oklahoma City has the best road record in the NBA with at 17-4.

As for the Knicks, they are 3-7 in their last ten games. Julius Randle scored 32 in New York's 112-104 loss to the Jazz on Wednesday. The Knicks will be without Dennis Smith Jr., who is in the concussion protocol.

The Thunder should have their full complement of players. Against Detriot, Danilo Gallinari played the second game of a back to back for the first time all season.

Oklahoma City is currently 38-24 and a game and half behind Utah and Houston for the fourth/fifth seed in the western conference. Since the Thunder began in 2008, they are 15-6 vs. the Knicks, including a 6-4 mark in Madison Square garden.

Key Matchup:

Whoever is guarding RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. Randle is averaging 19 points a game, Barrett 14. You figure Dort will draw the task of slowing down Barrett while Galliari would have to deal with Randle. You know your mission, guys, may the force be with you.

Special Occasion:

The Thunder and Knicks will pay tribute to police, fire, and rescue crews from Oklahoma City and New York who responded to the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Friday will be the first time the Thunder will wear their city edition uniforms on the road.

Vegas Says:

Thunder -7

First Quarter:

Sloppy start for the Thunder, Dort off on his three, Adams is struggling to finish at the rim, sending the Knicks to the free-throw line. It looks like they spent the night hanging out at Studio 54. (Yes, I know that club does not exist anymore). Chris Paul is determined to keep Oklahoma City in this game.

How would you feel about going to the city edition uniforms full time?

Dort's gotta finish that lay up! Knicks with 12 points in the paint, and only two attempts from three.

I am starting to see why the Knicks don't shoot a lot of threes.

Gallinari is the only Thunder that can score inside. Ok, nevermind Noel can still dunk.

What a block by Noel!

Thunder lead after one 27-20. Not a great quarter from the field just 40 percent 9 of 22 and 2 of 6 from three, Oklahoma City shot 11 free-throws and hit seven.

Second Quarter:

Knicks now 0-7 from beyond the arc. We could make a drinking game out of the Knicks' poor three-point shooting. Make it 0-8.

Excellent put back by Adams off the Nader miss. That was a brilliant spin move by Nader, even if he didn't finish.

Diallo is playing his butt off right now. The guy is all over the place.

Knicks cut the lead to two 36-34. New York has hit seven consecutive shots.

Thunder run has the lead up to nine. 46-37.

61 points in the first half. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 4-4 with 11 points. The Thunder is shooting 47 percent from the field and 36 percent from three. The Knicks finish the half 0 of 8 from beyond the arc. The Thunder bench was outscored 19-17, and at one point, the Knicks lead 9-4. Diallo with 8 points, including his first made three since January 17th vs. the Heat.

Nerlens Noel with three blocks. For Noel, that is two straight games with at least three blocks. Oklahoma City only had one turnover in the first half.

61-48 Thunder going into the third quarter.

Third Quarter:

Chris Paul with 15 points after his third three!

Gibson has not been a factor in this game at all. I thought Adams might struggle with Taj's athleticism.

I love watching Noel work with the guards. All of them do a superb job of feeding him.

Shai just ripped that ball out of Randle's hands, Thunder up by 20 after Gallinari's three. Shai with yet another steal!

Do you find yourself rooting for Ferguson to hit a three? Gallinari is playing out of his mind tonight, he's been the Thunder's do everything guy.

We have reached that point in the game, where I can tell you, I have no issue if the Thunder want to trade Chris Paul to the Knicks as long as they get this year's first-round pick out of the deal.

I don't hate Paul. But, he will be 35 next season and making 41-million. Unless you are making a run to the championship that's way too much money to spend on a player that age.

If Shai is going to be the face of the Thunder at some point he will need to lead without Paul's help. That being said, it's going to suck if Paul gets traded because he is leaving such a positive mark on Oklahoma City.

Fourth Quarter:

I'm writing the postgame story now. We'll have reactions and video coming shortly.

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