MELO GETS LAST LAUGH
After Phil flap, Knicks star pours in 33 in hard-fought win
SACRAMENTO , Calif. — Carmelo Anthony went from a star on Instagram to a star in Sacramento. But he needed a late hand from Joakim Noah and his suddenly soft free-throw stroke.
Anthony made two controversial Instagram posts aimed at Knicks president Phil Jackson, then posted 23 of his 33 points in the first half as the Knicks began their five-game road trip with a 103-100 win over the Kings at their new downtown arena, Golden 1 Center. Anthony also became the fourth active player to score more than 23,000 points.
Anthony went cold late, missing all five of his fourth-quarter shots, and also missed two free throws with 3.6 seconds left and the Knicks up by three. After the second miss, DeMarcus Cousins’ midcourt heave hit the rim and bounced away at the buzzer.
Two days after his eight-point dud, Anthony was terrific for three quarters, keeping them in the game, after stepping up his feud with Jackson, who had nitpicked in an interview he hung onto the ball too long.
The Knicks (13-10) needed the embattled Noah, hitting barely 25percent from the line, to hit two free throws with 2:06 left to put the Knicks into the lead for good at 99-98 as the Kings played Hacka-Noah like they did last Sunday. Anthony also hit two free throws of his own with 14.8 seconds left to put the Knicks back up by three.
Cousins finished with 28 points, but the Kings center blew a wideopen driving layup with 20 seconds left, preserving the Knicks’ one-point lead. Rudy Gay missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left.
Brandon Jennings, who shot an airball on a free throw earlier in the fourth, hit two huge ones with 19.9 seconds left, giving the Knicks a three-point lead. Jennings, starting for injured Derrick Rose, had an up-and-down evening finishing with 13 points, seven assists and four turnovers.
The Knicks rallied from a ninepoint deficit to lead 54-53 at halftime.
In the first half, Anthony was at the right spot at the right time on both ends, collecting five rebounds and even getting calls. In the final minute, he attempted a 3pointer and drew a touch foul. He made all three free throws that got him to 23 at the break.
In the half, Anthony was 8-of-13 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. Just eight minutes into the game, he had topped his total from the prior game when he sputtered to eight points versus LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Anthony didn’t get his usual help from Kristaps Porzingis early in the game. Porzingis shot 1-of-9 in the half — a lot of his attempts hitting the front rim, a sign of tiredness. He finished the second half strong, however, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds, though he was just 6-for-19 from the field.
He’s 25-for-79 shooting (32 percent) in his past five games.
The Kings’ balanced attack vexed the Knicks. Cousins led the way with 12 points and they got at least four points from nine players.
Anthony had a couple of salty moments. After Courtney Lee passed to him with one second left on the shot clock, he started yapping to him to shoot. Anthony picked up a surprising technical in the fourth when he appeared to accidentally hit his Team USA teammate Cousins in the face on a drive.
Before the second half, Kurt Rambis, last season’s interim head coach, had a friendly exchange with former Knick Arron Afflalo. The two feuded last season after Rambis demoted him. Afflalo came off the bench Friday and didn’t play in the first half. Sources said he’s not very happy with his role.
In the third quarter, Jennings committed two straight interceptions that led to Sacramento fastbreak layups — one a terrible miscommunication with Noah.
Jennings pointed for Noah to set a pick and he declined, trying to get the pass instead. It became two points for Sacramento. Noah had a quiet offensive night (four points) but had nine rebounds and did some good work against Cousins early.
The Knicks led 78-77 after Kyle O’Quinn blocked an off-balance Cousins and Lance Thomas fired in a 3-pointer on the fastbreak.
Porzingis had three straight hoops in the fourth quarter. He put the moves on Cousins at the top of the key and drilled a jumper. Moments later, Jennings penetrated and found Porzingis for a dunk.
Porzingis had started the game 3-of-15.