‘Melo makes a memorable debut with Knicks
updated 10:33 p.m. ET Feb. 23, 2011
NEW YORK – Carmelo Anthony’s debut on the large stage was a large hit.
Anthony had 27 points and 10 rebounds, hitting a pair of clutch buckets down the stretch as New York beat the Milwaukee Bucks 114-108 on Wednesday night in his Knicks debut.
Anthony made only 10 of 25 shots but was at his ideal in the closing minutes, helping New York hold on after fellow superstar Amare Stoudemire fouled out. He matched the third-highest scoring game in a Knicks debut since 1964, just two points shy of Keith Van Horn’s 29 on Oct. 29, 2003.
Chauncey Billups, who came with Anthony from Denver in Tuesday’s blockbuster trade, completed with 21 points and eight assists as the Knicks won their third straight. Toney Douglas scored 23 points and Stoudemire had 19.
John Salmons scored 27 points for the Bucks.
With fans chanting for both Anthony and Billups in the final minute, New York matched its win total from last season with its 29th victory — but now the Knicks have much larger plans than that.
The Knicks have never had a winning season since Anthony entered the NBA and are mired in a franchise-worst stretch of nine straight losing seasons. Their revival began when Stoudemire signed last summer and reached a new level Wednesday when Anthony walked out of the tunnel onto the floor where he came in averaging 30.4 points, just off Kobe Bryant’s 30.5 for tops among active players.
He stated before the game the Knicks could score 120 points per game, and they were not far off even without any real practice time in their first game together.
Milwaukee was down four when Anthony drove the baseline for a dunk with 1:18 remaining, and his tough bucket in the lane with the shot clock running down with 26 seconds left made it 108-102.
He added two free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining, fans chanting “Melo! Melo!” as he sank them for a six-point edge. Billups was serenaded with a “Chauncey Billups!” chant he later went to the line.
The Knicks gave up a lot to land them, surrendering starters Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov and top reserve Wilson Chandler. But they insisted the price was worth it for the chance to pair Anthony along with Stoudemire, with both locked up long term after Anthony signed a contract extension on his way out of Denver.
© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
source : nbcsports.msnbc.com
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Submited at Thursday, February 24th, 2011 at 4:00 am on Sports by jessica
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