KNICKS NIPPED
Anthony misses in final ticks as Knicks’ rally falls short
DALLAS — The Knicks came roaring back again in the heart of Texas, reducing a late 12point lead to one in the final minute, but their magic and Carmelo Anthony’s magic finally ran out.
There was no repeat of the great San Antonio comeback victory as Mark Cuban’s Mavericks, behind O.J. Mayo’s 27point explosion and Vince Carter’s vintage 25point night, repelled the Knicks 114111 last night at American Airlines Center.
With Anthony out of rhythm and not getting any breaks from the officiating, the Knicks fell to 82 as Jeremy Lin and the Rockets await tomorrow. With a chance to win it, Anthony missed a rushed pullup 15footer with five seconds left after juggling the ball, then fouled out on the ensuing scramble.
“We had a chance, the ball was in my hands in the end,’’ Anthony said. “It slipped. I got the shot I wanted. I just didn’t convert on it. It shouldn’t have come down to it, but it did and we move on. We take the good with the bad.’’
Former Mavericks Tyson Chandler (21 points, 13 rebounds) and Jason Kidd (17 points, six rebounds, five assists, five steals) couldn’t do more to try to lift the Knicks to victory but they needed Anthony to finish Dallas off and the referees hardly treated him like an MVP candidate.
Anthony was coming off his 29pointsin28minute flurry in New Orleans that had him in the early MVP conversation. But that might cool.
On the final play, down one with 24 seconds left, Raymond Felton (11 assists) ran the shot clock down, gave the ball on the left wing to Anthony, hounded by Shawn Marion.
“He had a good shot,’’ Felton said. “He’s the No. 1 guy in our offense. I got the ball in his hands. I live and die with it.’’
“He had the ball, I thought he was going to win the game, but it slipped out of his hand,’’ said Kidd, who lit up Dallas by nailing five 3pointers on eight attempts.
Anthony finished with an empty 23 points on 7of16 shooting but committed seven turnovers, including four offensive fouls.
Anthony made a slew of momentumkilling plays during the Knicks late comeback. including letting a defensive rebound slip off his hands and out of bounds with 3:08 left and the Knicks down five.
Still down five, Anthony picked up his fifth foul on a controversial charge against Carter. He did a 180degree spin after the collision and flipped the ball into the basket with 2:45 left, but it didn’t count.
Anthony said Carter was moving on the play and it should have been called a block.
“I was looking at Vince moving and sliding,’’ Anthony said. “I saw that. That’s why I turned my back and threw it up in the end. At this point, no need to cry over spilt milk. I‘m not going to keep complaining about the same thing over and over.’’
After Kidd brought the Knicks to within 112111 with 40 seconds left, Anthony had his first chance to give them the lead. But on a drive in the lane, Anthony saw the ball stripped. He also got clocked in the mouth, and winced all the way downcourt.
“I could take a punch,’’ Anthony said. “They let them play tonight. They let it go.’’
Carter lit up the Knicks in the fourth quarter after the Knicks let Dallas back in the game as the Mavericks outscored the Knicks 3526. The Knicks vaunted D finally caved.
“We didn’t play a good game tonight, especially on defense,’’ Anthony said.
The Knicks came out flat in the second half after they surged to a 10point lead in the game’s first six minutes.
“It shouldn’t have gotten to that point,’’ Felton said. “We gave them confidence. Their eyes got bigger and the basket got bigger for them.’’
The Knicks took out Dallas earlier this month, but they didn’t have Marion. The Knicks allowed their season 114 points. In the Memphis loss, they had given up their previous season high of 105.
“You score [111] points, you shouldn’t lose,’’ Kidd said.