Will It Be Carmelo Anthony v Kevin Durant Showdown, Or Russell Westbrook v Raymond Felton?
(Sporting Alert) — The NBA’s two top scorers, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony will come face-to-face when Oklahoma City takes on New York on Sunday. The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers will follow on ABC.
New York Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder
Live on ABC
Time: 1:00 PM ET
LA Lakers at LA Clippers
Live TV: Live on ABC
Time: 3:30 PM ET
Anthony has scored a combined 131 points in his last three games, including 50 points against the Miami Heat and he heads into the showdown with Durant full of confidence in driving the Knicks (49-26) to its 12th successive win.
The star forward who scored 40 and 41 in the other two games, has also set his eyes on taking down the franchise record of 15 straight, set back in 1994.
“It’s April, I guess. It’s April. It’s time to go,” Anthony was quoted as saying. “It’s that time of the season where we gotta pick it up. “I felt like I needed to pick my game up and do what I have to do.”
Anthony, who missed the last time the Knicks play the Thunder because of a knee injury, is also motivating his teammates to do well and Knicks coach Mike Woodson believes it’s a blessing to have such a talent around.
“I Can’t say enough, he’s been special for us,” Woodson said, following Friday’s 101-83 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Durant, as expected, has also been scoring well in recently outings with the current league’s leading scorer coming off a 34 points performance in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s (56-20) win over the Indiana Pacers.
Durant is on course to win his fourth successive scoring title, but admits that his main focus is winning the championship, adding that Anthony can take the scoring crown.
“He can have it,” Durant revealed. “… I mean the stuff he’s doing right now, every time he touches the ball it looks like it’s going to go in.
“He’s having a nice run right now and his confidence is high. I’m sure he’s going to take over. If it happens, cool.”
Durant, but his own admission, is hoping the Thunder can carrying on its good run of form.
“We’ve been building this thing for the last few weeks,” he said, “and it’s starting to look good, so we gotta keep it up.”
Oklahoma City has won its last three and six of the last seven.
Also on Sunday schedule is battle of the Los Angeles giants, with the LA Lakers and the LA Clippers coming together at Staples Center.
Los Angeles Clippers (50-26), which finally hit a 50 game win season, will try and clinch the club’s first division title in its history and sweep the Lakers (40-36) this season.
After a poor run of form, the Clippers finally snapped a three-game losing streak with a crushing 126-101 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
That victory saw the club setting a new season record for wins – beating the old mark of the team from 1974-75 which at the time was in Buffalo.
“Whenever you do something first it’s significant, but we expect more and we should,” coach Vinny Del Negro said.
Meanwhile, the LA Lakers have been picking up the pace in recent outings and the 86-84 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday is an indication that things are heading into the right direction for the Kobe Bryant-led squad.
Lakers continue to hold on for a playoff spot and have won its last three and four of its last five.
They’ve been beaten three-times already this season by the Clippers and will surely look to turn the tables so as to not dent their playoff hopes.
Veteran guard Chauncey Billups is out for the Clippers, which Willie Green will continue to start, while Steve Nash is doubtful with an injury.
FULL NBA SCHEDULE AND TV CHANNELS FOR APRIL 7
MATCHUP TIMES (ET)
New York at Oklahoma City 1:00 PM – ABC
LA Lakers at LA Clippers 3:30 PM – ABC
Washington at Boston 6:00 PM – CSNB CSNN
Orlando at Cleveland 6:00 PM – FSNFL FSOH
Memphis at Sacramento 6:00 PM – TSOH CSAC
Chicago at Detroit 7:30 PM – CSCP FxDt
Utah at Golden State 8:00 PM – FxRM CBHD
New Orleans at Phoenix 9:00 PM – Fox Sports New Orleans FAHD
Dallas at Portland 9:00 PM – FxSW KGW NBATV
