Lou Williams, Sixers rout Knicks for third straight win

Lou Williams keeps stating his case to be the Sixers’ closer. And Evan Turner keeps showing why he was the No. 2 overall pick in 2010.

The duo combined for 52 points in a 106-94 win yesterday over the skidding New York Knicks.

Williams poured in 28 points, including a dozen in the final 3:28 of the third quarter, and Turner finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Andre Iguodala added 19 points and Thaddeus Young had 14 as the Sixers shot 50-percent from the field.

“We were clicking on both ends,” Iguodala said. “I think we did a better job of trying to get to the basket and trying to get the foul calls and get to the free throw line. That kind of made the basket a little bit bigger for us.”

Williams’ flurry highlighted a high-scoring third quarter for the Sixers. The team scored 38 points in the third to the Knicks’ 24 and built a 21-point lead early in the fourth.

“Thirty-eight points in the third quarter is just crazy,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It’s hard to explain sometimes.”

The Sixers have won three straight games, with a 19-point average margin of victory. The Knicks have lost five straight contests and eight of their last 11.