Magic-Knicks Preview

By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
Posted Jan 15 2012 2:40PM

It's always unfortunate when a Broadway show is without one of its major cast members.

That scenario could unfold not far away at Madison Square Garden in a star-studded matchup on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

It's unclear if Carmelo Anthony will be available to join Amare Stoudemire and the New York Knicks as they take on Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic on Monday.

Anthony missed Saturday's 104-92 loss at Oklahoma City because of a sprained right ankle and injured left wrist. The Knicks top scorer at 25.5 points per game could still be out for the opener of a four-game homestand.

Without him, New York (6-6) gave up 70 points in the first half Saturday and never threatened in its second straight loss.

"The great thing about the NBA is that we've got a game coming up soon so we can try to redeem ourselves against Orlando," Stoudemire said.

Getting back on track against Howard could be difficult. The Orlando center leads the NBA in rebounding with a career-high 15.2 per game, and enters off a monster performance in his last one.

Howard finished with 45 points and 23 rebounds and broke Wilt Chamberlain's nearly 50-year-old NBA record for most free throw attempts in a game, making 21 of 39 in a 117-109 victory over Golden State on Thursday. He's the first player with at least 40 points and 20 rebounds since Shaquille O'Neal had 48 and 20 against the Celtics on March 1, 2003.

"I just tried to be aggressive and get to the line. I didn't care if I missed 30," Howard said. "I was still going to go up there and shoot the next one with confidence."

The Magic (8-3) come to New York as a well-rested team after winning three straight on the West Coast. Howard totaled 18 points and 17 rebounds in the first two games before his huge effort against the Warriors.

"All I want to do is win," Howard said. "It didn't matter how we got it done, we got it done. That's the bottom line."

Howard has posted nine straight double-doubles against the Knicks, averaging 25.4 points on 64.0 percent shooting and 14.4 rebounds in those games.

It will up to a New York frontcourt that includes Stoudemire and newcomer Tyson Chandler to provide some resistance to Howard. The Knicks are searching for answers defensively after their first-half effort against the Thunder.

"It will get better. Definitely has to get better," Chandler said. "We gave up way too many points. Tonight our offense did a better job moving the ball and scoring points but we had a letdown defensively."

Stoudemire went 11-1 against the Magic with Phoenix from 2002-09 before averaging 23.3 points and 5.5 rebounds against them last season as New York went 1-3.

He had 14 points on 7-of-19 shooting Saturday, but believes that the Knicks' offense is on the right track. New York is among the NBA's worst teams in shooting percentage (.417) and assists per game (18.3).

"We stayed focused, we had great pep talks, we implemented a better offensive scheme and tonight was the first night of that," Stoudemire said. "We did a good job of moving the ball."

Anderson scores career-best 30, Magic beat Knicks

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted Jan 17 2012 1:26AM

NEW YORK (AP) A wave of double-teams prevented Dwight Howard from the type of night he had in his previous game.

It also set up another big one for Ryan Anderson.

Anderson scored a career-high 30 points, extending his NBA lead with seven 3-pointers, and the Orlando Magic beat the New York Knicks 102-93 on Monday to complete a perfect four-game road trip.

Taking advantage of extra space as the Knicks focused on Howard, Anderson went 7 of 13 behind the arc and is now 40 of 93 for the season. He missed all three 3-point attempts in the first quarter, but finished with the NBA single-game high this season despite having a cold.

"Early in the game Ryan was missing, but he stuck with it and he played big for us tonight," Howard said.

JJ Redick added 21 points for the Magic, who won three games on the West Coast before finishing in New York and will play at home the next two nights to wrap up a stretch of three games in three nights.

Howard, who tied a career high with 45 points and set an NBA record by taking 39 free throws in Orlando's 117-109 win at Golden State on Thursday, was in foul trouble and finished with eight points and 10 rebounds. The Knicks swarmed him inside, with Tyson Chandler behind him and often bringing another big player to double him.

"He's getting double and triple-teamed at some points," Anderson said. "He's doing a great job keeping composure, being patient, finding guys on the perimeter, and we're moving the ball and that's why we got open shots tonight, just because of him."

So the Magic turned to their perimeter game, going 17 of 35 (49 percent) from 3-point range, trying the record for most allowed by the Knicks. Anderson and Hedo Turkoglu each made two in the fourth quarter, when the Magic took control after trailing most of the game.

"It's a matter of picking your poison," Redick said, "but obviously if we see something early on like tonight, they doubled from the get-go pretty much, that allowed us to really play through him, throwing the ball into him and not necessarily throwing it to him for him to score, but for other guys to get shots."

Carmelo Anthony had 33 points and eight rebounds in his return from a one-game absence with a sprained right ankle, but shot just 9 of 27. Toney Douglas and Iman Shumpert each scored 12 and Amare Stoudemire finished with 10, eight in the fourth quarter after also battling foul trouble.

The Knicks have lost three in a row. They opened a stretch of four home games in a six-game span with another poor shooting night, particularly when the Magic showed them zone defense.

"We're not making no shots right now. It seems like we can't shoot the ball in the ocean right now. Everybody. We get stops and then at the other end we can't score the basketball. I don't know what is it," Anthony said. "We've just got to get out of that shooting slump. We've got to start making shots and it makes it easy on the defensive end. We are playing defense but when you can't score the basketball it makes it hard."

The Knicks scored the first six points and led 23-17 after the first quarter, a lead they would maintain for most of the first three quarters. They were ahead 51-45 at halftime and still up six with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third period before the Magic scored the final four points to cut it to 75-73.

New York led for the final time at 85-83 on Stoudemire's dunk with 7:42 remaining. Jameer Nelson made a free throw before Turkoglu and Anderson nailed consecutive 3-pointers for a 90-85 advantage. The Knicks got within three with about 3 1/2 minutes left, but Redick scored four straight points to put it away.

Obviously, 17 3s is not going to help you," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. "You've got to give them credit. Ryan Anderson made a couple that were tough looks but they made them. First half they didn't make them. They're a hard team to guard."

Turkoglu scored 15 points for Orlando, which has won 14 of last 17 meetings.

NOTES: The Knicks fell to 18-8 on Martin Luther King Day. ... Though unclear exactly what the process would be, D'Antoni said Baron Davis could take part in full practices soon, perhaps next week. The point guard hasn't played since the Knicks signed him because of a herniated disc in his back. ... Jason Richardson sat out with a bone bruise of his left knee.

Notebook: Magic 102, Knicks 93

By Adam Zagoria, for NBA.com
Posted Monday January 16, 2012 4:59PM

THE FACTS: Ryan Anderson poured in a career-high 30 points, hitting 7-of-13 from beyond the arc, as the visiting Magic won their fourth straight, 102-93, over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

J.J. Redick added 21 and Hedo Turkoglu had 13 of his 15 in the second half for the Magic, who trailed 51-45 at the break

Dwight Howard, coming off a career-high tying 45 points in Thursday's win over Golden State, managed just eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks while facing a double-team for much of the game.

Carmelo Anthony returned after missing one game with a sprained ankle and wrist to lead the Knicks with 33 points on 9-for-27 shooting. He also had eight rebounds, five assists and three steals to go with five turnovers..

New York has now dropped three in a row.

QUOTABLE: "A lot of my open shots came off high pick-and-rolls from Dwight and I'm just open in the corner."
-- Anderson

THE STAT: Orlando shot 17 for 35 from beyond the arc. The last time the Knicks allowed 17 3-pointers in a game was March 5, 2008 against the Cavaliers.

QUOTABLE II: "Obviously, 17 threes is not going to help you. Anderson made a couple that were tough looks, but they made them."
-- Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni

THE STAT II: Anthony took more shots (27) than the rest of the Knicks' starters combined (23). Also, the Knicks went 5-for-20 from beyond the arc, with Anthony shooting a miserable 1-for-8.

QUOTABLE III: "It's not like he's looking around thinking, 'I need to pass it.'"
-- D'Antoni on Anthony

TURNING POINT: After the Knicks went ahead 85-83 on an Amar'e Stoudemire fourth-quarter dunk, Orlando used a zone to rattle off a 17-6 run go up 100-91 thanks to three 3-pointers, two from Turkoglu and one from Anderson. Stoudemire scored eight of his 10 points in the fourth quarter, but didn't take a shot across the final six minutes or so.

QUOTABLE IV: "We couldn't attack the zone the way we wanted to."
-- Stoudemire

NOTABLE: Howard, Anthony and Chandler were selected Monday among the 20 finalists for the U.S. Olympic roster. The team will once again be coached by Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski in the 2012 London Olympics. Stoudemire, who couldn't play in the 2010 World Championships because of insurance issues related to his eye and knee injuries, said he would be open to playing. "If the USA wants me to play, I'm totally down with playing."

NOTABLE II: Chandler is not rooting for the Giants in the NFL playoffs. "It's definitely gonna be the 49ers," the California native told MSG's Jill Martin. ... Anthony said he re-tweaked his ankle stepping on Turkoglu's foot during the game and received ice and stimulation treatment afterward, but he plans to play Wednesday against Phoenix.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia and former Giants punter Sean Landetta were among those on hand.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Wednesday vs. Phoenix, Friday vs. Milwaukee, Saturday vs. Denver. For the Magic, Tuesday vs. Charlotte, Wednesday vs. San Antonio, Friday vs. L.A. Lakers.

• Magic: Orton, Richardson
• Knicks: Davis, Lin

• Magic: Howard
• Knicks: --

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #12 Violet Palmer, #9 Derrick Stafford, #72 JT Orr
• Attendance: 19763
• Duration: 2:25