NBA: Carmelo Anthony's late 3-point heroics lift Lakers over Cavs

Carmelo Anthony came off the bench to shoot 6-of-8 from behind the 3-point line and finish with 24 points, including igniting a decisive fourth-quarter scoring run that powered the host Los Angeles Lakers past the Cleveland Cavaliers, 113-101, on Friday.

Anthony connected on three 3-pointers during a game-ending, 23-10 Lakers run that spanned almost eight minutes. He bookended a 15-2 stretch amid that same spell with a pair from long range.

After giving up a 15-3 Lakers run to close the third quarter trailing by three points, Cleveland battled back. Darius Garland made three of his 18 points to give the Cavaliers a 91-90 lead, but Anthony answered on the next possession.

The Lakers scored 10 unanswered including that basket, taking a lead they never relinquished.

LeBron James led all scorers with 26 points despite shooting 1-of-10 from 3-point range. He also dished a team-high eight assists, half of which came during the concluding run.

Two of James' late assists set up Anthony for successful 3-point attempts. James also initiated a crucial sequence with about five minutes remaining, throwing cross-court out of a double-team to Kent Bazemore, who quickly rotated to a wide-open Avery Bradley for a 3-pointer.

Bradley's bucket pushed the Lakers lead to nine points and forced a Cavaliers timeout.

Cleveland came into Friday's contest a winner of three straight, holding all three opponents to fewer than 100 points. The Cavaliers built a double-digits lead in the second quarter, but gave up 25 points in a little more than nine minutes to close out the period.

They held the Los Angeles Clippers to fewer than 25 for the entirety of three of the four quarters in a win Wednesday night.

Rookie Evan Mobley led the Cavaliers with a career-high 23 points. Ricky Rubio added 18 points off the bench, and Lauri Markkanen added 17 points. Garland dished a game-high 11 assists.

-reuters-

NBA: Carmelo Anthony seals Portland move

LOS ANGELES - Ten-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony has completed his move to the Portland Trail Blazers, the team confirmed on Tuesday.

Anthony, who has not played in more than a year since being axed by the Houston Rockets, joins a Blazers side which is languishing near the foot of the Western Conference with five wins and nine defeats.

"Carmelo is an established star in this league that will provide a respected presence in our locker room and a skill set at a position of need on the floor," Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey said.

The 35-year-old Anthony has averaged 24 points across 1,064 games of his 16 season career which included spells with Denver, New York, Oklahoma City and Houston.

Anthony, who was a member of the USA's Olympic gold medal-winning teams in 2008, 2012 and 2016, will wear the No.00 jersey for Portland.

Anthony said in a video on his YouTube channel that he was looking forward to the next chapter in his career, describing the move to Portland as a "perfect opportunity."

"I always kept my eye on Portland. It just didn't work out at other times, but now it seems like it's a perfect opportunity," Anthony said.

Anthony's recent career history has seen spells of turbulence, with the player objecting to being used largely off the bench by Oklahoma City.

Anthony however said he had learned from recent experiences and was ready to adapt to any role.

"What happened before is the past, I can't dwell on that, I learned from that," Anthony said. 

"This happened at a point in time in my life where I do have a lot of clarity and understanding of different situations and just life, and my approach is totally different."

rcw/iwd

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Anthony joins Rockets, his fourth NBA team in 13 months

HOUSTON - Carmelo Anthony, who is coming off the lowest scoring season of his career, signed a one-year contract with the Houston Rockets on Monday.

The deal is worth a reported $2.4 million and means the former all-star forward will be joining his fourth NBA team in just over a year.

The Rockets announced the move by posting a photo on Twitter of Anthony signing the contract.


The 34-year-old Anthony averaged a career low 16.2 points in 78 games last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He was traded from the Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks last month before the Hawks released him.

Anthony joins a team led by MVP James Harden and star point guard Chris Paul and is expected to play a bench role for the Rockets.

The third overall pick in the 2003 draft has averaged 24.1 points and three assists in a 15-year career that also included stints with the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks.

A 10-time all-star, Anthony has won three Olympic gold medals with the United States. He is USA Basketball's all-time leading scorer and rebounder.

gph/jc

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Thunder hold off Grizzlies behind George's 28

Paul George made six 3-pointers while scoring 28 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 121-114 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

Russell Westbrook contributed 23 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds for his 17th triple-double of the campaign. Carmelo Anthony added 19 points as the Thunder won for just the third time in the past nine games.

Andrew Harrison scored a career-best 28 points and went 5 of 5 from 3-point range for the Grizzlies, who have lost seven straight and nine of their past 10 games. Tyreke Evans had 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Jarell Martin added 17 points off the bench.

George has drained at least five 3-pointers in each of the past five games and is 27 of 55 from beyond the arc during that stretch.

Oklahoma City let a 20-point halftime lead trickle down to one but never gave up the advantage.

A dunk by Dillon Brooks with five minutes remaining pulled the Grizzlies within 104-103, but the Thunder responded with a 10-3 push. Anthony buried a jumper, Terrance Ferguson connected on a 3-pointer and George tacked on a dunk and a 3-pointer as Oklahoma City took a 114-106 advantage with 2:54 left.

Memphis again was within one when Evans drained a 3-pointer with 47.1 seconds left, but Anthony knocked down a 3-pointer of his own to make it 118-114 with 25.9 seconds to play. Westbrook sank two free throws and a technical -- called on Harrison -- with 5.7 seconds remaining to make it a seven-point margin.

George made three 3-pointers during a 16-2 second-quarter surge that helped the Thunder take a 73-53 halftime lead.

George had 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the half, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Oklahoma City shot 58.5 percent in the half and finished at 49.4 percent.

Memphis led 42-40 after Martin's basket with 8:09 left before the Thunder rattled off 10 straight points. JaMychal Green delivered a dunk for the Grizzlies prior to the spurt where George hit the three 3-pointers, the last making it 66-46 with 2:06 left.

Memphis whittled its halftime deficit down to 11 on a 3-pointer by Brooks with 5:46 left in the third quarter. Oklahoma City pushed the lead back out to 89-72 on Patrick Patterson's basket with 2:42 remaining before the Grizzlies closed with a 12-3 run to trail 92-84 entering the final stanza.

The Grizzlies shot 51.2 percent from the floor.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

OKC Thunder wrap up Anthony deal

LOS ANGELES -- Carmelo Anthony formally completed his move to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, cementing a blockbuster trade after seven seasons with the New York Knicks.

Anthony, 33, will form part of a new-look Thunder roster which has also been bolstered by the arrival of Paul George from the Indiana Pacers during the close season.


In return for Anthony, the Knicks will get center Enes Kanter, forward Doug McDermott and a second round 2018 draft pick.

The deal emerged on Saturday after Anthony agreed to waive his no-trade clause.

"We are thrilled to welcome Carmelo to Oklahoma City and the Thunder organization," Thunder general manager Sam Presti said in a statement.

"In addition to his skill level, experience, and unique talents, Carmelo is another high character, professional player for our roster."

Anthony, a 10-time All-Star and 14-year NBA veteran, heads to the Thunder after 976 career games in which he has averaged 24.8 points per game.

Knicks president Steve Mills thanked Anthony for his stint in New York.

"This is a deal we feel works for both this franchise and Carmelo," Knicks president Steve Mills said. "We thank him for his seven seasons in a Knicks uniform and all that he accomplished off the court for the City of New York by using his platform to address social issues."

Anthony meanwhile penned an open letter to Knicks fans on his website, thanking them for supporting him "through thick and thin."

Anthony is expected to be a key part of a revamped Thunder team which includes MVP Russell Westbrook as well as George.

Anthony said Monday a desire to play alongside Westbrook was behind his move.

"He was a big part, he was big reason why I wanted to come here," Anthony said of Westbrook.

"To see his loyalty to the city, to this organization, what he was able to do on the court, I wanted to be a part of that. Adding PG (Paul George) was just another reason why I wanted to come here."

Both Westbrook and George reportedly had a role in persuading Anthony to join the Western Conference side.

George told USA Today he had had formed a friendship with Anthony during spells on international duty with the US national team, and believed the trio could form a side capable of winning titles.

"This feels like a championship team," George said.

"I'm in a good place. I know Russ (Westbrook) is in a good place. Melo is motivated more than ever. You put us three together who all have something to prove still and we're going to be a special team."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Rose helps Anthony bloom as Knicks overcome Pacers

When the New York Knicks acquired point guard Derrick Rose in the offseason they envisioned a playmaker who could accelerate to the rim and become a secondary scorer to Carmelo Anthony.

The only question was could the injury-plagued Rose, a former MVP with the Chicago Bulls, hold up to the rigours of a full season?

After missing three of the Knicks last four games with back spasms, Rose provided the Knicks with the ingredients they have been missing in the backcourt over the last several seasons.

Rose poured in 24 points and dished out six assists in the Knicks 118-111 win over the Indian Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. His layup with 1:37 left gave the Knicks a 116-107 lead.

Rose looked sharp early and often in his 36 minutes. Rose and Anthony, who matched his season high with 35 points, led a fourth-quarter comeback by scoring 11 points apiece in the final frame.

The Knicks (15-13) were down by as many as 81-66 with 4:45 left in the third quarter, before staging their biggest comeback of the season. Anthony got it started with a step-back jumper.

Anthony drained seven-of-11 three-point attempts. He was 13-of-25 from the floor overall.

"I'm just happy that we won," Rose told reporters. "I was just trying to get a feel for the game. With me being out, I tried to come in and get them going.

"I saw Melo (Carmelo Anthony) was hot and the team did a great job of finding Melo and KP (Kristaps Porzingis) in the second half. We were making the extra pass tonight."

Joakim Noah added 11 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double this season and Porzingis contributed 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

New York sank 13 of its 23 three-point tries, matching its most of this season.

Myles Turner and Thaddeus Young paced Indiana (15-15) with 21 points apiece. Al Jefferson scored 18 points off the bench, and Jeff Teague registered 17 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds.

"Carmelo (Anthony) got hot and made some tough shots," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "When he wasn't scoring, (Derrick) Rose did a good job of taking over.

"You have to finish. If you don't finish, whether you are at home or on the road, you are not going to win ball games. It comes down to executing and making plays when you have to."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Porzingis drives Knicks to gritty win over Celtics

NEW YORK -- Rookie forward Kristaps Porzingis poured in 26 points to lead the New York Knicks to a gritty 120-114 win over the Boston Celtics Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks (20-20) won for the fifth time in their last seven games despite the loss of Carmelo Anthony, their leading scorer, who left the game with a sprained right ankle after a collision late in the first half with a referee.

The veteran small forward was having a good offensive night, finishing with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists in almost 18 minutes.

Shooting guard Arron Afflalo contributed 24 points and back-up point guard Jerian Grant added 16 points for the Knicks.



Boston (19-19) was led by guard Isaiah Thomas' 34 points. He was 11 of 12 from the line.

A free throw from forward Jae Crowder gave Boston a 107-106 edge with 2:44 to play before the Knicks outscored the Celtics 14-7 the rest of the way.

A traditional three-point play from Boston forward Jared Sullinger cut the Knicks lead to 99-97 with 5:11 remaining, but the Knicks reeled off seven straight points to push their lead to 106-97 with 3:38 left.

A short jumper from Sullinger drew the Celtics even at 88-88 with 9:45 to play. Boston had trailed by as many as eight points early in the third quarter.

The Celtics took advantage of Anthony's absence, outscoring the Knicks 32-26 in the third, to pull within 85-81 heading into the final quarter.

Anthony tumbled to the floor after stepping on an official's foot running up court late in the second quarter. He left the game with 1:16 left in the half and the Knicks leading 57-45.

Anthony returned for the second half with his right ankle taped, but returned to the locker room after just 20 seconds when he wasn't able to make a quick cut.

Porzingis and Anthony combined for 28 points in the first quarter, helping the Knicks to a 37-26 lead. Porzingis was six of eight from the floor for 16 points and Anthony was five of six for 12 points.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Cavaliers down Knicks 91-84 for early Christmas cheer

Kevin Love had 23 points and 13 rebounds and forward LeBron James added 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 91-84 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

The Knicks were playing without Carmelo Anthony and still nearly pulled off the upset thanks to 23 points and 13 rebounds from rookie Kristaps Porzingis.

The Knicks rallied from 11 points down to take their first lead on a tip-in from forward Lou Amundson with 11 minutes to play, but they were well held near the close with Porzingis shut out in the fourth quarter.


Cavs guard Kyrie Irving played 20 minutes in his second game back from a fractured kneecap, but was clearly still rusty, with

five points and four assists on 1-of-7 shooting from the field.

The Knicks limited the Cavs to 39 percent shooting from the floor and had a chance to win until the final minute.

Cavs guard Iman Shumpert's defense forced the Knicks into a timeout after guard Arron Afflalo was trapped in the corner with the score tied at 82.

Knicks forward Lance Thomas threw away the inbounds pass and Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova converted at the other end.

The Cavs strung together a couple more stops, including once when Shumpert stripped Afflalo again two possessions later for a turnover, and James clinched the win with a dunk in the final minute.

Guard Mo Williams returned after missing a week with a sprained right thumb.

"I'll be happiest when we see a full roster that's entirely healthy, but it feels good," Blatt said. "We've been waiting for this."

(Editing by Ian Ransom)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Knicks make key stop to quiet Thunder

For almost two weeks, Oklahoma City have been preaching relentlessly that they had to get better on defense. Yet, it has not materialized on the court in the form of consistent wins. On Friday, they saw what happens when a team puts defense first.

The New York Knicks came to town sporting that mindset and when they needed to get one stop to win a game, they did as they pulled out 93-90 victory at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

"We just wanted to get a stop," New York coach Derek Fisher said. "Doesn't really matter how you get into that position. It's a three-point game. In order to win, you have to get a stop."

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points on nine of 20 shooting from the field and grabbed five rebounds. Arron Afflalo scored 14 points for New York and Lance Thomas came off to bench to score 12

Thunder guard Russell Westbrook led all scorers with 34 points to go along with seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Dion Waiters added 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the floor.

The Knicks improved to 7-6 while the Thunder fell to 7-6.

Westbrook downplayed the team being frustrated at the way they have been playing since the injury to Kevin Durant sidelined the All Star for the past five games.

"We just have to find a way to put together some wins," Westbrook said. "That's about it."



'DIFFICULT OFFENSIVE NIGHT'

After trailing by 16 in the fourth quarter, the Thunder cut the lead to eight on Nick Collison's putback with 5:35 left. After Anthony knocked in a jumper, Enes Kanter answered with a rebound and putback on the other end.

But just as the Oklahoma City fans were starting to get loud, Afflalo hit a bucket from the corner and the Knicks were back up by 10 with 3:45 on the clock.

Oklahoma City were down 89-85 with 46 seconds left and Westbrook fouled Anthony, who missed both free throws. The Thunder got the ball with 32 seconds remaining and Westbrook got the ball to a wide-open Serge Ibaka, whose three-pointer from the corner rimmed out and Knicks rebounded.

Robin Lopez and Anthony followed with four free throws for the Knicks. However, Westbrook hit a jumper and three-pointer to cut the Thunder's deficit to three.

"You just never know what to expect when Russ has the ball," Anthony said. "He is coming down hill full speed. And you don't know if he is going to keep driving or put up a three.

"You have to keep all eyes on him. You just never know what to expect when it comes to Russ."

The Knicks turned the ball over and the Thunder had another chance to send the game into overtime, but shots from Westbrook and Waiters were both off the mark.

Oklahoma City dominated on the boards with a 49-36 advantage, but the Knicks held them to 38 percent shooting from the floor.

"I gave our guys a lot of credit as far as hanging in there," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said.

"The difference in the game was the three-point line. We really weren't able to make too many of ours. I was pleased with our guys continuing to fight and battle through a difficult offensive night."

(Compiled by Peter Rutherford)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'Melo' signs $124-M deal with Knicks

Carmelo Anthony said Thursday that he briefly second-guessed returning to the New York Knicks in free agency last July, when he signed a five-year, $124 million deal, shunning offers from the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers in the process.

Anthony said he is expected to be full strength for training camp in September. He missed the second half of the season following persistent knee issues he said began in the first or second game.

- -

Florida coach Billy Donovan made his interest in NBA positions known at the end of the college basketball season, and a good friend might just make room for him in Oklahoma City as the Thunder sit out the postseason.

Yahoo Sports first reported mutual interest existed between the two sides.

Donovan, 50, who signed a contract extension with the Gators in March, has only a $500,000 buyout clause and is a longtime friend of Thunder general manager Sam Presti.

Scott Brooks, current coach of the Thunder, just missed the playoffs for the first time in six seasons -- most of which the team played without forward Kevin Durant -- and has a guaranteed contract for next season with a team option for 2016-17.

"I expect to be the coach next season," Brooks said Thursday.

- -

Nebraska guard Terran Petteway declared for the NBA draft, joining teammate Walter Pitchford and ending an emotion-filled week for one of the Big Ten's top scorers the past two seasons.

A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Petteway started every game the past two seasons and averaged 18.1 points per game, second all-time at Nebraska, during his career with the Cornhuskers.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves were the worst team in the NBA in 2014-15, but the franchise has only a one in four chance of winding up with the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft.

Minnesota nudged ahead of the New York Knicks, who won two of their final three games and now have less than a 20 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick. (Editing by Frank Pingue)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'Melo' denies sitting out to join All-Star game

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, who is contemplating not playing the rest of the year, denied he sat out games just so he would be available for the All-Star Game.

Anthony called that theory "absurd," ESPN reported Friday. Anthony said he had played even when told to rest his troublesome left knee.

Anthony, 30, has dealt with soreness in the knee for most of the season and has missed 13 games, including two of the last three before the All-Star break.

On Thursday, the eight-time All-Star told ESPN Radio that there's a good chance he will be shut down for the remainder of the season after the All-Star Game on Sunday in New York. But Friday he hedged on his plans.

"I haven't made that decision yet," Anthony said at NBA All-Star Media Day. "I've got to talk to everybody. I haven't talked to anybody."

- - -

Knicks owner James Dolan said his vitriolic response to an email from an angry fan was "tit for tat" and he knows he should not have responded that way.

Speaking Friday during a charity event at All-Star Weekend, Dolan said the critical email from 73-year-old fan Irving Bierman "caught me at the wrong moment and I responded sort of like tit for tat. I knew I shouldn't have done that, but I did it anyway because it made me angry. It was a personal, hateful attack.

"Basically it's over and we've got All-Star Weekend. I'd love it if we all just focused on that."

- - -

The Houston Rockets are making a renewed attempt to trade for Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic.

League sources told ESPN.com that the Rockets are hoping to convince the Suns to part with Dragic before the Feb. 19 trade deadline.

Dragic, 28, is in his second season in Phoenix after leaving the Rockets in free agency in July 2012. He can become a free agent this offseason by declining a $7.5 million player option for 2015-16. Dragic is averaging 16.2 points and 4.1 assists this season. (Editing by Andrew Both)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Carmelo scores 31 to power Knicks over Lakers

NEW YORK -- Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds to spark the New York Knicks in their 92-80 win over the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday.

The Knicks improved to 10-38, matching Philadelphia for the second-worst record in the NBA ahead of Minnesota (8-39), while the Lakers stumbled to 13-35, second-worst in the Western Conference.

Langston Galloway had 13 points while Lou Amundson grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for the Knicks.

Jordan Clarkson and reserve Carlos Boozer each scored 19 points to lead the Lakers, still reeling from the season-ending shoulder injury suffered by star guard Kobe Bryant. Boozer also grabbed 10 rebounds.

It was the 11th loss in the Lakers' past 12 road games. Los Angeles made only 5-of-20 shots from the floor in the first quarter, falling behind 32-19.

"We just got off to a bad start," said Lakers coach Byron Scott.

Anthony scored the Knicks' last 12 points of the third quarter, pushing New York's lead to 72-57 entering the fourth quarter.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Knicks down Sixers for second straight win

Knicks 98, 76ers 91

Losers of a franchise-record 16 straight games before beating New Orleans on Monday, the New York Knicks toppled the Philadelphia 76ers 98-91 behind 27 points and 11 rebounds from forward Carmelo Anthony.

Guard Jose Calderon added 15 points and seven assists for the Knicks, who at 7-36, still possess the NBA's worst record.

- - -

Thunder 105, Wizards 103 (OT)
Forward Kevin Durant scored 34 points in the highly anticipated return to his hometown and guard Russell Westbrook sank a layup with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to give Oklahoma City victory over Washington.

Westbrook, who finished with 32 points, also scored the game-tying layup with 26.9 seconds remaining in regulation and had 25 points after halftime.

- - -

Suns 118, Trail Blazers 113

Guard Eric Bledsoe scored a career-high 33 points as Phoenix blew a 25-point second-quarter lead but rallied to hold off Portland.

Isaiah Thomas added 27 points for the Suns, who have won seven straight at US Airways Center and 14 of the last 18 overall. The Suns are 4-0 on a franchise-record eight-game homestand.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Knicks kick off Jackson era with seventh straight win

NEW YORK - Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points and Amare Stoudemire tallied 21 as the resurgent New York Knicks opened the Phil Jackson era with their seventh-straight win on Wednesday.

Jackson got his first look at the Knicks in just his second day on the job and they didn't disappoint their new president as they beat the first-place Indiana Pacers 92-86.

The 68-year-old Jackson received a standing ovation at Madison Square Garden during the pre-game introductions and it just got better for the crowd of 19,812 from there. New York took the lead halfway through the opening quarter and they never lost it after that.

Centre Tyson Chandler helped their late season National Basketball Association playoff push with a game-high 14 rebounds in the win.

The Knicks are now just four games back of Atlanta for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot with 14 contests to go.

Jackson was introduced as president on Tuesday and pledged to help turn the struggling franchise around.

He visited the team's practice facility Wednesday to talk with coach Mike Woodson and met with the players in the locker room before the game.

The hiring was expected after reports surfaced last week that Knicks owner Jim Dolan was aggressively trying to sign Jackson to a contract.

Jackson, who signed a five-year deal, wouldn't commit to a timeline on how long it would take to reverse the Knicks' fortunes. New York hasn't won an NBA title since 1973 and last made the league finals in 1999.

Anthony's future status with the Knicks is uncertain after he said before Jackson's hiring that he might test the free agent market after the season.

But Jackson said Tuesday he hopes Anthony remains with the Knicks and Dolan reiterated that on Wednesday.

"The most important thing to Carmelo is winning championships," Dolan said. "Our job is to convince him to stay. So bringing in Phil certainly helps."

Dolan called the hiring of the Jackson "almost accidental" on Wednesday.

He said they talked informally for two hours at a December party of a mutual friend, music mogul Irving Azoff.

"The timing was almost accidental. I didn't plan it," Dolan said.

"I had a chance to meet him at a party in Los Angeles.

"We ended up getting together for a couple of hours. I really learned a lot in those two hours. It snowballed from there.

"His knowledge of basketball, the way he explained the game to me ... I never had anybody teach me that way."

Lance Stephenson tallied 21 points and nine rebounds and Roy Hibbert finished with 20 points for the Pacers, who had their four-game win streak halted.

Indiana star Paul George was held to 17 points on four-of-17 shooting from the field. The Pacers also went five-of-23 from beyond the arc.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Melo lifts Knicks over Lakers; Pelicans beat Magic

Knicks 110, Lakers 103

Carmelo Anthony followed up his record-breaking scoring performance with 35 points as the New York Knicks beat the Los Angeles Lakers.

Anthony scored a Madison Square Garden record 62 against Charlotte on Friday. His encore helped New York (17-27) earn their second win in a row immediately following a five-game losing streak.

The Lakers (16-29) received a team-high 24 points from guard Jodie Meeks, who shot eight-for-13 overall and six-for-eight from three-point range.

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Pelicans 100, Magic 92

Tyreke Evans scored 13 of his team-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and forward Anthony Davis scored 22 points, grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds and blocked seven shots to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to victory.

The Pelicans (18-25), who have won three of their last four games, iced the game with a 9-4 run. The Magic (12-33), who lost their eighth consecutive road game, were led by Arron Afflalo with a game-high 25 points.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Stoudemire, Anthony lead Knicks to fourth win in a row

PHILADELPHIA - Amare Stoudemire scored 21 points and Carmelo Anthony added 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists Saturday to spark New York over Philadelphia 102-92 for the Knicks' fourth straight win.

The Knicks improved to 14-22 while the 76ers slid to 12-25 with their fourth loss in a row.

New York guard J.R. Smith came off the bench to score 14 points and pass out six assists in his return to the lineup.

Smith was fined $50,000 Wednesday by the NBA for a second incident of trying to untie the shoelaces of a rival player while awaiting a rebound on a free throw attempt.

That prompted Knicks coach Mike Woodson to bench a healthy Smith for the entire game in the Knicks' 102-92 victory Thursday over the defending NBA champion Miami Heat.

Spencer Hawes and James Anderson each had 17 points to lead the 76ers, while Thaddeus Young added 15 points.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Steady Indiana pace themselves to OT win in New York

NEW YORK - The Indiana Pacers came out ice cold against a revenge-minded New York Knicks team on Wednesday but showed their class and put the NBA on notice with a hot finish that produced another notch in the win column.

Indiana missed their first seven shots and fell 13-0 behind a Knicks team eliminated from last year's playoffs by the Pacers, and which had lost their last four home games in struggling to a disappointing 3-7 start this season.

The Pacers refused to fold and worked their way back to force overtime at Madison Square Garden and win going away, 103-96, behind a spectacular finish by forward Paul George.

Indiana, who last year battled champions Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals, improved to a joint NBA-best 10-1 record as they bounced back from their first loss of the season on Saturday to the Chicago Bulls.

"Heck of a win for our guys," Pacers coach Frank Vogel told reporters.

"Grind it out kind of game. The offense wasn't really flowing, but our defense buckled down. I'm proud to get a 'W' (win).

"Paul George was sensational, not only carrying the offensive load the way he did, but covering Carmelo Anthony for basically 48 minutes. I don't know where he finds the energy but it's special."

Anthony led the Knicks with 30 points and pulled down 18 rebounds but it was not good enough to hold off the talented Pacers.

BAYING CROWD

New York came out on a mission, throwing themselves into the contest to the delight of a roaring home crowd demanding payback over last season's six-game loss to Indiana in the conference semi-finals.

But the Pacers showed their growing maturity by patiently whittling down the lead, reeling the Knicks in by the end of the game before leaving them lost again.

"I told the team, we may not see a team as desperate as we saw tonight all year," Vogel added. "They played a great basketball game.

"They came after it, they really guarded it, they defended, they played extremely hard, they went for loose balls and we were still able to prevail. I'm really proud of those guys."

George calmly sank three free throws after he was fouled beyond the arc by Iman Shumpert with 5.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game 89-89 and send it to extra time.

Vogel said he was confident about the outcome at that point.

"I feel right now we are playing some of the best basketball in the league and I feel like the extra five minutes favors the better team," the coach said.

"That's what I told our guys and the guys came out and took the game."

George, who made 12-of-26 shots, poured in nine more points in overtime to finish with 35 points.

"Considering the way we started this night, we could have easily held our heads down and allowed New York to come up and put this game away early," said George, who scored just 12 points on 3-for-14 shooting in the loss to Chicago.

"We know how to pull one another up, how to rally."

(Editing by John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Rockets hang on for win over Knicks

NEW YORK CITY - The Houston Rockets withstood a 45-point barrage from Carmelo Anthony on Thursday, holding on for a 109-106 NBA victory over the New York Knicks.

Houston's James Harden scored 36 points in his return from injury, and Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin enjoyed another triumph at Madison Square Garden.

Houston's triumph came despite Anthony's outstanding performance. His 45 points were the most scored by one player in a game this season and he also brought down 10 rebounds.

It wasn't enough to prevent the Knicks from suffering a fourth straight home defeat.

Chandler Parsons added 22 points and Lin had 21 for the Rockets, making up for the subdued seven points and 15 rebounds from Rockets big man Dwight Howard.

Anthony had two chances to tie the game in the final minute.

He missed one three-pointer, and on his second opportunity he was fouled by Harden and though the ball went in referee Scott Foster ruled the foul came before Anthony got the shot off and it didn't count.

"The initial contact is way before what probably everybody else thinks," said Foster, whose call was greeted by boos from the Madison Square Garden crowd. "It's a push, a slap and then another slap, but we've already called the foul on the initial contact. Now he turns and throws it up. It's not able to be scored that way."

J.R. Smith's last gasp heave from midcourt bounced off the backboard as time expired.

It was a welcome win for the Rockets, who had dropped three of their previous four.

Lin added five rebounds and three assists in the arena where his exploits as a Knicks reserve-turned-star sparked "Linsanity" in the 2011-2012 season.

"I was just having fun out there," Lin said. "You know, I miss playing at the Garden."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Anthony fires 50 as Knicks down Heat

MIAMI -- Carmelo Anthony's stunning 50-point performance led the New York Knicks to a 102-90 win over defending NBA champions Miami on Tuesday, extending their winning streak to nine games.

The Heat, already having sealed top spot in the Eastern Conference, were without LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers, all sitting out with minor injuries.

But a third win from four games against Miami this season is a major psychological boost for the Knicks, who could come up against the Heat in the playoffs.

Knicks head coach Mike Woodson was fullsome in his praise for Anthony, who hit the 50-point mark for the third time in his career.

"He was unbelievable. He refused to let us lose tonight. He mad big plays and big shots," he told reporters.

"I have seen some games like this throughout the season from Carmelo Anthony. He had it going early and it was consistent all the way through. When we needed a big bucket, he came up with it."

Anthony was 18 of 26 from the field and reached the 50-point mark with 16.9 seconds left on the clock as the Knicks dominated the fourth quarter.

"He wasn't forcing anything. Some things come easy for great players and tonight he did everything he was supposed to do to put us in a position to win," added Woodson.

Anthony said he felt in form from the first touch.

"It was just from the start of the game. It is a feeling sometimes you have out on the court, sometimes you get off to a good start and get cold throughout the game but tonight wasn't one of those cases," he told reporters.

Anthony has scored 112 points in his three games against Miami this season, averaging 37.3 points per game, but he said he was not thinking ahead to an eventual playoff clash just yet.

"When we meet them we will deal with that. We did what we had to do in terms of winning the game. We were very successful against them this regular season," he added.

"When the playoffs come, if we meet up with them we meet up with them, they aren't on our mind right now."

'Had it rolling'

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team have won 29 of their last 31 games, including a 27-game winning streak that was the second best in NBA history, was clearly concerned about how to guard Anthony better.

"Obviously we'll look at it and we will have to figure something out, but boy, he was a shot maker tonight. You see a great performance by an opponent, you have to give them credit.

"He made tough shots over the top the entire game," he added.

Miami forward Shane Battier suggested it was just one of those games where little could be done to stop Anthony, who nailed seven three-pointers.

"Carmelo had a hell of a game. That is a game that drives the analytics guys crazy. I don't think he attempted a shot within 15 feet of the basket. Most nights, we would take that every single time.

"He made a ton of shots ... there were some we had poor rotations on and he had really clean looks and that was just breakdowns in our defense.

"A lot were shots you would take times out of 10 and he just had it rolling."

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Knicks legend: Melo can fit it with Lin

Earl “The Pearl” Monroe feels the New York Knicks finally have the floor leader they needed in Jeremy Lin, and from his unique perspective predicts high-scoring Carmelo Anthony will have no trouble fitting in when he returns from injury.

Monroe, a Hall of Famer and member of the Knicks’ last NBA championship team of 1973, is delighted by the emergence of the Taiwanese-American point guard and sees golden times ahead.

“He’s scored a lot of points, has a lot of assists, but more so than anything else, he’s given the team a real leader,” Monroe, 67, said before New York beat Sacramento on Wednesday for their seventh consecutive win since Lin took charge.

“That’s the real thing that they had been lacking so far in this season.”

Lin rocked the NBA world with a sensational run that was made possible because of a rash of injuries, including the groin strain that has sidelined five-times All-Star Anthony.

After being cut by two teams this season and languishing on New York’s bench, Lin seized his opportunity with a stunning string of games that made him the league’s most prolific scorer in 35 years through his first five starts – eclipsing former NBA MVPs Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan.

“I’m kind of amazed, happily amazed, to see a guy, really an underdog, come out and show that he can play,” said Monroe, who is promoting a campaign to add diabetes-friendly menu items in U.S. restaurants. “There’s no real miracles in this game, but this is one that’s close.”

The winning streak lifted the Knicks to 15-15, but some experts wonder whether the new team chemistry will change with the imminent return of Anthony, who tends to hold the ball and put points up with his one-on-one prowess.

Scoring wizardry

Monroe, who joined a well-established Knicks team in 1971 after dazzling the NBA with his scoring wizardry with the Baltimore Bullets, was not concerned.

“Carmelo can go get his stats,” Monroe said. “He can put the ball on the floor, he can go to the basket or pull up and shoot a jump shot. I don’t think it’s going to be that big of an adjustment. The big thing is how the shots are distributed.

“Having one guy controlling the ball and getting it to guys in the places where they can do things with it, I think it minimizes all those kind of things.”

Monroe said taking in the ‘Linsanity’ from the bench would help Anthony blend into the new-look attack.

“The good thing is that he’s been on the sidelines watching this. As a good ball player, he knows what he needs to do. He knows that it’s a winning formula out there,” said Monroe.

“You don’t want to rock the boat but you know what your talents are and his talents are being able to finish. He’ll be able to finish games for you and for certain times can put you on his back. In the meantime, just let things roll. As the game goes, you’ll be able to get yours.”

Monroe said it was a little different for him working into a Knicks group that had won an NBA ring three seasons earlier.

“You’re used to taking over certain points of the game,” he said. “When I came to the Knicks I had to kind of curtail that and see where I fit in.

“I had to kind of pull back, and try and visualize the game,” he said, foreshadowing Anthony’s challenge, before adding, “It was a lot different in terms of the kind of team I came over to which already had four or five Hall of Fame players on it.”

source: interaksyon.com