Black Friday Thriller: Melo’s 35 and a Rose Block Hold Off Hornets in OT 113-111

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Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

24 hours after Thanksgiving, the Knicks tried to give their fans a heart attack with a dramatic last-play win over the Charlotte Hornets. With Kristaps Porzingis struggling most of the game, the load was on Melo to will the Knicks to victory. He did, but not without timely plays down the stretch from Rose and Porzingis on both sides of the ball.

WHOSE TEAM IS THIS???: The rumblings had started again. “Melo is freezing out Porzingis.” “Porzingis needs to be the #1 option.” Last game we even heard boos when Melo went iso. Tonight, all that nonsense was silenced with Melo shooting and passing (gasp!) his team to victory. As Porzingis found himself limited by foul trouble and 2/6 shooting (5 points), Melo picked up the slack for his protegé with 16 points in the first quarter (6/8 shooting).

After falling behind by 13 in the third, a tech on Coach Hornacek seemed to ignite the Knicks, who reeled off a 15-2 run to tie it at 72. That run was driven by a Melo three-point play and a three-pointer.

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The extremely tight game saw trading hoops in the fourth with Melo again making big plays. He found Hernangomez twice for drives to the rim. And when the game went into overtime, Melo was the dominant offensive player with two jumpers, including the game-winning fadeaway, to cement the 113-111 win.

The final stat line is monstrous — 35 points, 14 points, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block.

PORZINGIS AND ROSE MEET CHALLENGE: These two didn’t have great shooting nights, but Rose and Porzingis left their marks on this win. Rose (16 points, 5 assists) made Kemba Walker work on defense by being aggressive with rim drives in the fourth quarter and overtime. His bank shot that put the Knicks up 104-101 with 22 seconds left would have been the game-winner if not for a bonehead rookie foul from Hernangomez. And with three seconds left in OT, Rose’s block on Kemba Walker’s three prevented a heart-breaking loss going into the weekend.

Porzingis (16 points 6/16, 8 rebound, 2 blocks) had several threes in the fourth to put New York in the lead, but his strongest contribution was on defense. Two dramatic blocks at the rim on Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky in crunch time prevented Charlotte from building momentum. Although he was a -12, his aggression on defense was essential to holding off Charlotte.

QUIET PERFORMANCES: Hernangomez (6 points, 9 rebounds) got a lot of deserved grief for his dumb foul that sent the game into OT, but his overall play means all is forgiven. In 20 minutes, he was a +16 and ignited runs with his cutting to the rim.

Overall, the second unit had issues with Kuzmiskas being held scoreless (0/6) in 24 minutes, and Brandon Jennings not being able to push the pace with KP struggling. The Hornets’ bench outscored them 44-28 behind 32 combined points from Kamisky and Belinelli.

The Knicks won’t have much time to rest on their laurels as the back to back concludes tomorrow in Charlotte.

https://youtu.be/9G0SpwyA4H4

Melo, D-Rose and D-Wade Celebrate Thanksgiving

 

After an impressive win on Tuesday against the Trailblazers, Derrick Rose let it be known that he invited himself to Carmelo Anthony’s house for Thanksgiving. Earlier today, La La Anthony snapped a nice picture of the Knicks stars that also included Dwyane Wade.

During summer free agency, we had a few days were it appeared Wade was considering the Knicks. Imagine if that would have came to fruition? Sorry, Courtney Lee…

 

[Video] Porzingis Adds 31, Rose’s Late Heroics Down Blazers 107-103

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Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

In years past, a poor shooting performance from Carmelo Anthony was guaranteed to end with a Knicks defeat. In the present, that won’t happen if Derrick Rose (18 points, 5 assists) and Kristaps Porzingis (31 points, 9 rebounds) have anything to say about it. The pair combined for 49 points, including a timely Rose jumper with 6.8 seconds left to seal the Knicks’ fifth straight win at Madison Square Garden.

FENDING OFF A HUNGRY TEAM: The Blazers destroyed the Nets a few nights ago and picked up right where they left off. They went 4/5 from three-point land in the first quarter and had the Knicks scrambling to keep up on pick n’ rolls. New York managed to keep it close and found themselves down by only five (33-28) headed into the second.

JENNINGS THE X-FACTOR: Brandon Jennings might be the best $5 million the Knicks have spent in a long time. With the first unit offense lethargic, he came in pushing the ball and attacking Portland’s star backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. He opened up the floor with 4 first half assists that lead to the bench pouring in 17 points by halftime to give the Knicks a 60-58 edge.

Cramps would keep Jennings from playing in the fourth, but he still managed 11 assists in 22 minutes.

KUZMISKAS STEPS UP: With Jennings out, Kuzmiskas picked up the slack with 10 points. He hit a crucial three-pointer late in the fourth and had a great drive for a layup. He kept the floor spaced just by being a scoring threat.

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UNSUNG HEROES: Courtney Lee, Willy Hernangomez and Justin Holiday don’t have numbers that’ll jump out at you, but all three worked hard defensively. There was one great sequence where Lee completely shut down the driving lanes on McCollum and forced him into a well-contested jumper that elicited cheers from the Garden faithful.

MELO’S SCORELESS 4TH OVERSHADOWS OTHER GREAT PLAY: With KP hitting half his shots in the fourth, the crowd was in a frenzy to get the ball to him on every play. Unfortunately, the frenetic play had him winded and Melo tried to pick up the slack on a few iso plays that went nowhere. The crowd jeered their disapproval.

 It’s unfortunate that we’re going to read a few articles tomorrow about how Melo needs to play “in the flow” of the offense and now about how his fourth quarter defense and rebounding was a key factor in this win. 

It’s unfortunate that we’re going to read a few articles tomorrow about how Melo needs to play “in the flow” of the offense and not about how his fourth quarter defense and rebounding was a key factor in this win. He tipped out two offensive rebounds for extra possessions in the final two minutes and also helped force a turnover on Evan Turner. In addition, his late screen for Rose helped the speedy point guard score a layup to put New York in front for good 102-101. Melo’s 7-22 shooting was ugly, but he locked in where it was needed to grind out this win.

We’re at .500! The Knicks will look to improve on that record this Friday when they face the Charlotte Hornets.

https://youtu.be/yKGwCGBc7pg

[Video] Greetings from Latvia: Porzingis Posterizes Mason Plumlee

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Kristaps Porzingis delivered another 30 point game at the Garden tonight in an impressive win against the Portland Trailblazers. In a game full of KP highlights, his most thrilling was this slam over Mason Plumlee.

I wonder what our own Marshall Plumlee thought of this move.

 

Melo’s 31 Points Lifts Knicks Past Hawks 104-94

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Photo Credit: USA Today

Sunday’s game had the chance to be a defensive disaster when news hit that Joakim Noah was out. Dwight Howard did run rampant, but Carmelo Anthony’s 31 points and sound team defense gave the Knicks an impressive 104-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden.

NOT WAVERING: The Knicks were locked in on defensive rotations. Outside of a few open treys, the Hawks had to work for every basket and only managed 40% from the field. Billy Hernangomez (7 points, 8 rebounds) and Kyle O’Quinn (8 points, 8 rebounds) harassed Dwight Howard (18 points, 18 rebounds, 6/12 FT) and made him work at the free throw line. And Derrick Rose (14 points, 7 assists) dominated his matchup with Dennis Schroder (0/8, 1 point).

MELO LEADS THE CHARGE: Melo’s offense set the tone, but it was team effort to get this one. Four of the starters hit double figures, including Porzingis with another double double (19 points, 11 rebounds). Courtney Lee chipped in 14 points and was excellent slashing to the rim and using his three-point shooting to stifle several Atlanta runs in the second half.

https://youtu.be/juRgNpEc9wI

FOUR STRAIGHT AT HOME: The Knicks have done a fantastic job protecting home court by notching their four straight at Madison Square Garden. The challenge in channeling the focus on the road where too many times we’ve seen a lethargic ball club.

Next up is another home stand against the struggling Trailblazers, who are 1-4 over their last five games but come in off a 129-109 beatdown of the Brooklyn Nets.

https://youtu.be/eIYpw_7Hb_g

 

[Video] Crappy Effort: Wizards Torch Lethargic Knicks from Three-Point Arc

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Photo Credit: USA Today

What a crap performance. There isn’t a better way to describe our last outing in D.C. against the Wizards. After coming off Kristaps Porzingis scoring a career high 35 points, everyone was optimistic that the team may have turned the corner. Instead we got a lethargic team in the second night of a back to back that allowed one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league to torch them for 45 points from downtown (15/25, 60%) and shoot 54% from the field.

The Knicks staged a faux pas comeback in the fourth after falling behind nearly 30 points, but New York would get no closer that seven points down the stretch. If you’re looking for bright spots, you can hope Derrick Rose (27 points, 3/5 from three) and Brandon Jennings (17 points, 7/10, +19)  continue the improved shooting.

It bears repeating — this team will only go as far as their ability on defense, particularly when it comes to guarding the three-point line.

Things will get no easier to close November as New York has Atlanta, Portland, Charlotte (2X), Oklahoma City and Minnesota over the next two weeks.

https://youtu.be/vMVGqGKBJIA

[Video] Porzingis Drops Career-High 35 Points in Close Win Over Pistons

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We are privileged to watch the growth of a future superstar. Kristaps Porzingis delivered a career-high 35 points to lead the Knicks to a close 105-102 win over the Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Despite a focused game, the scrappy Pistons made sure the Knicks worked for this win until the final buzzer.

FEED THE BEAST: Melo said before the season that he’s never played with a weapon like Derrick Rose. That applies even more so to Porzingis, who feasted to a 25 point first half and truly showed how versatile (and scary) his game is. He worked unblockable fadeaways in the post, ran the floor for contested layups on fast breaks, and burned Detroit for three three-pointers. He shot 13/22 from the field and managed to get to the line seven times.

I said earlier in the week that Porzingis can take the reins at the #1 option in 2-3 years. But if he keeps up this pace, we might have a changing of the guard by next year.

MELO’S NOT TOO SHABBY: All the attention on KP should not negate another efficient game from Carmelo Anthony: 22 points (13/22), 5 rebounds and 3 assists. For this team to work, both guys need to continue being the one-two punch on scoring.

IMPROVED DEFENSE: We’re still a work in progress, but the last two games have shown some marked improvements. The Knicks are playing defense with their legs and stayed in front of their assignments. The Pistons were held to 12 free throw attempts compared to 19 for the Knicks. Joakim Noah’s (7 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks) defense, particularly in the first half on Andre Drummond, proved very effective. Drummond was contained to 15 points and 9 rebounds.

The glaring problem remains the three-point defense, which allowed Detroit to claw their way back in the fourth and nearly force overtime on the final play. Once that area gets under control, we’ll see a lot more easier wins.

SOLID BENCH PERFORMANCES: Justin Holiday (9 points, 5 rebounds) continued his solid play on both ends of the floor. Brandon Jennings was hot-dogging out there too much (got called for a carry), but his 7 assists keep the offense flowing in his 17 minutes. Kyle O’Quinn got the nod over Hernangomez and made the most of his 15 minutes. He tallied 6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks (including one on Drummond) and 2 assists. Outside of KP, O’Quinn just might be our best post defender.

The Knicks complete their back to back tomorrow night in D.C. against the Wizards.

https://youtu.be/_pusAXJaBzA

[Video] Carmelo Anthony Pokes Fun at Trolls and Critics in New Foot Locker Commercial

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Since coming to New York, the scrutiny on Carmelo Anthony has been high. And with New York not making the playoffs the last several years, some have come to view the perennial all-star as “overrated” and not even a Top 20 player in the league.

Foot Locker brilliantly captured that sentiment while giving Melo the chance to poke back with their “Week of Greatness” commercial series. Two fans attempt to belittle Melo’s accomplished career, but he quiets them with one simple question.

https://youtu.be/ut1G2NFKSIM

Fun aside, this is a make or break seventh year for Melo in New York. With future franchise player Kristaps Porzingis in his second year and the acquisition of Derrick Rose, a losing record and missing the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year will have fans and media alike calling for Melo’s head. The tepid 5-7 Knicks record and Anthony’s own recent haphazard play (21 points on 42% shooting, 28% from three), have not helped matters.

Nonetheless, we’re not even a full month into the season. Carmelo Anthony has more than enough time to make his real-life detractors eat their words just like this commercial.

[Video] Ron Baker, Meet Bill Stiller

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Last night, rookie Ron Baker had an impromptu meeting with actor Bill Stiller during garbage time of the Knicks’ 93-77 victory of the Mavs. Baker crashed into Stiller while chasing a loose ball and stuck around for a quick dap after the play ended. Hey Ben, do the kid a solid and get him a small role in your next movie.

[Video] A Lineup That Works: KP Thrives At the 5, Knicks Crush Mavs 93-77

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Photo Credit: USA Today

NEW YORK — Coach Hornacek finally found a lineup that works. After a putrid first half where the Knicks managed only 36 points, Hornacek bench Joakim Noah and inserted Kristaps Porzingis at center, helping to ignite 30-12 third quarter that powered the Knicks to a much-needed 93-77 victory at Madison Square Garden. Will this lineup work every night? No, but it showed the unlimited potential of Porzingis when he doesn’t have to chase stretch 4s.

1st HALF SLEEPWALKING: With Dirk Nowitki and Deron Williams both out, you figured this would be an easy night for the Knicks. Instead they labored mightily on both ends. Harrison Barnes ran amuck for 16 first half points as Porzingis struggled to keep up with him off screens. Derrick Rose had to be benched with two fouls in the first. The Knicks trailed 23-15 after the opening quarter, shooting just 4/13 from the field. Melo was completely flat and shot 1-6 from the field.

The second unit, sporting Porzingis as the main offensive option, slowly got the Knicks back in it. KP had a sweet crossover and pullup jumper to get the Knicks within three (28-25). Nonetheless, the ball was sticking too much, and New York could only manage 5 assists and trailed 39-36 at the half.

EUREKA!: Hornacek hit pay dirt by sliding KP to center and inserting Justin Holiday in the starting lineup at power forward. Porzingis’ length and agility allowed him draw three fouls in the third on Andrew Bogut and force him to the bench with four fouls. And Holiday was able to not only keep up with Barnes, but get his own offense working via mid-range jumpers, cutting to the basket, and three pointers (16 points).

Everyone benefited from the floor spread. Melo looked like a new person out there, dropping a blistering 17 points in the third to push the Knicks to a double-digit lead going into the fourth.

OFFENSE AND DEFENSE: New York continued pouring it on the fourth. Melo and KP had their own scoring duel trading three-pointers. Porzingis also got busy in the post abusing smaller defenders and even paid homage to Dirk with a one-legged, turnaround bank shot. Melo and KP both finished with 24 points. Porzingis also added 11 rebounds.

More impressive than the offense was the defense. For the first time this season, the Knicks held an opponent under 80 points. There was no free throw disparity tonight — the Knicks made 16/18 free throws while holding the Mavs to 8/11 from the line.

Yes, we beat up on a depleted Mavs squad. But the Knicks had a continuity we haven’t seen since the Bulls win. They’ll need the same effort when we look for revenge on Wednesday against the Pistons.