Hornets-Knicks Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jan 12 2013 10:08PM

A visit from one of the Western Conference's worst teams would appear to give the New York Knicks a prime opportunity to snap a season-high skid.

The New Orleans Hornets, though, arrive at Madison Square Garden riding their longest win streak of the season, and Greivis Vasquez along with a healthier Eric Gordon have played significant roles in that run.

The Hornets' backcourt duo will try to lead their team to a fifth consecutive victory on Sunday afternoon against the slumping Knicks, losers of three in a row.

Knee problems have limited Gordon to 15 games over two seasons with the Hornets (11-25), but his return to the starting lineup has coincided with his team's current win streak. The shooting guard has averaged 14.8 points over those four consecutive victories and scored 16 in Friday's 104-92 comeback win against Minnesota.

While also helping New Orleans back from an early 18-point deficit, Vasquez had team highs of 18 points and 13 assists, a career high-tying third straight double-double and fifth in six games.

"It's huge for us. We definitely are really stringing it together," forward Ryan Anderson said. "Obviously, that first quarter, we want to play better than that. We really gave a great effort to come back in that game."

The Hornets couldn't muster such comeback magic against the Knicks on Nov. 20 in New Orleans. New York pulled away for a 102-80 victory by outscoring the home team 30-16 in the third quarter.

Carmelo Anthony had 29 points in that win but his 39 in a return from a one-game suspension Friday were not enough in a 108-101 loss to Chicago. Anthony was forced to sit out another loss the previous night in Indiana because of a confrontation with Boston's Kevin Garnett following a home defeat Monday.

"We definitely don't want to lose. We've got to bounce back, take it one day at a time, one game at a time," said Anthony, who has scored at least 39 in three of his last five games. "Sunday is our next game, New Orleans, and that's a game that we have to go get. It's a must-win."

The Knicks (23-13) have won seven of eight over the Hornets but the lone loss was the most recent meeting at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 17. Anthony, though, missed that 89-85 defeat because of a strained right groin.

With Anthony likely in the lineup this time, the Knicks will try to keep from adding to their longest skid since a six-gamer March 4-12. New York is also seeking to avoid a third consecutive home defeat and its sixth in nine games following a 10-0 start at the Garden.

The Hornets, meanwhile, are seeking their longest win streak since a franchise record-tying 10 consecutive victories from Jan. 9-26, 2011. They're also pursuing a fourth win in five road games following a 2-11 start away from New Orleans.

Gordon has averaged 21.0 points in five all-time games against the Knicks but hasn't faced them since Nov. 20, 2010, when he was a member of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Anthony's big second quarter helps Knicks end skid

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted Jan 13 2013 4:28PM

NEW YORK (AP) Carmelo Anthony was hungry, and not just to end the Knicks' losing streak.

He wanted something to eat.

Anthony, struggling to keep his energy up while fasting for two weeks, snapped out of a slow start by scoring 18 of his 27 points in the second quarter, and New York ended its season-high, three-game skid with a 100-87 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday.

Anthony missed seven of eight shots and scored two points in the first quarter of the noon start he dislikes, then outscored the Hornets by himself in the second period as the Knicks took the lead for good.

"I'm kind of going through something right now with my own self, trying to find some energy and things like that. But we'll be fine," Anthony said. "We bounced back pretty well, I bounced back pretty well, stuck with it and won the game."

Anthony has scored 20 or more in a career-best 24 straight games, but it's been a struggle for him lately.

The All-Star forward said he hadn't had any meats or carbs in 15 days, and that his body just felt "depleted out there." Perhaps that explains his 6-for-26 shooting night in a loss to Boston on Monday, or the consecutive 1-for-8 first quarters in the last two games.

"I usually do it sometimes just to get some clarity in my life and just spiritual reasons. I'm done now. I can't do it no more. I surrender," Anthony said, saying he was headed out to look for a steak after the game.

Chris Copeland added 22 points for the Knicks, who had seen their Atlantic Division lead trimmed to two games by Brooklyn while losing five of their previous seven games. Battling injuries, they play only once in the next week, facing the Detroit Pistons on Thursday in London.

"Obviously losing the last three before this made it a must-win," forward Steve Novak said. "We can't drop another one at home, especially going into a week where we're going to have a trip. It would have made it a much longer week if we hadn't. This was a game where we had to come out and play better than we have."

Eric Gordon scored 22 points as the Hornets had their four-game winning streak snapped. Coach Monty Williams said the Hornets didn't bring the competitive edge they'd had lately.

"You look at how many open looks they got from the (3-point line), recognizing that Novak can shoot the ball, those kind of things are correctable, but it's tough to watch it," Williams said. "It's OK to lose in the NBA because it's part of it, but when you lose because you didn't compete for 48 minutes, it's tough to swallow."

Copeland got his fourth career start so the Knicks could put Anthony back at the power forward spot, where he had great success earlier this season. The move worked out for both of them, with Copeland going 9 of 15 and carrying the offense early while Anthony struggled.

Anthony was on the bench when the Knicks put it away, opening the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run that featured two 3-pointers from Novak and five points from Copeland and turned a five-point lead into an 84-68 advantage.

No. 1 pick Anthony Davis had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Hornets, but point guard Greivis Vasquez was limited to 11 points and six assists after recording three straight double-doubles.

The Hornets missed 19 of their 23 3-point attempts.

New Orleans was up 29-22 after one thanks to a gift from J.R. Smith, who fouled Brian Roberts beyond halfcourt with 0.5 seconds remaining. Officials reviewed the play and determined it was a shooting foul, and Roberts made all three.

Anthony had only more one basket in the first seven-plus minutes of the second quarter, then suddenly showed why he is one of the NBA's most dynamic scorers.

He made a jumper while being fouled by Davis, the three-point play capping an 8-0 run that gave the Knicks a 36-34 lead with 4:34 remaining. After a jumper by Gordon, Anthony made two free throws and converted another three-play play, giving him eight points in about 70 seconds and making it 41-36.

He finished the quarter in style, with a jumper and 3-pointer that made it a seven-point game, and a free throw closed the scoring for the half and gave the Knicks a 49-41 lead. Anthony was 6 of 9 in the period, outscoring the Hornets 18-12.

"Carmelo got into a big flow that second quarter. When he's flowing, that's when their whole team is flowing in all aspects," Gordon said. "They just had a big quarter and kept having big strides after that. We didn't play so well, either. We had too many lapses on offense and defense."

The Knicks led by 11 in the third quarter but couldn't put it away, the Hornets pulling within 71-66.

Notes: Amare Stoudemire scored 12 points after the Knicks' medical staff told coach Mike Woodson he could increase the forward's minutes to about 25-30 per game. Stoudemire had been limited to a little more than 20 per night as he returned from left knee surgery. He played 23 while battling foul trouble. ... Woodson said Iman Shumpert, nearing his return from major knee surgery, will make the trip to London. On Friday, Woodson left open the possibility that Shumpert could remain behind and work with the Knicks' NBA Development League team, but said doctors cleared Shumpert to go after testing his knee.

Notebook: Knicks 100, Hornets 87

Adam Zagoria, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Jan 13, 2013 3:26 PM - Updated Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:05 PM

THE FACTS: Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 27 points and added seven rebounds as the Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak with an 100-87 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at Madison Square Garden. Anthony had his 24th straight 20-plus points game for New York (24-13). Knicks rookie Chris Copeland started and added 22 points, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.

Eric Gordon led New Orleans with 22 points and No. 1 draft pick Anthony Davis had 13 points and eight rebounds in his pro debut at the Garden. The Hornets (11-26) saw their four-game winning streak come to an end.

QUOTABLE: "Its huge but we were very confident coming into this game that we were going to get this win...We were locked in early."
-- Copeland on MSG

THE STAT: The Hornets, who entered today seventh in the league in 3-point percentage (37.5), shot 1-for-13 from beyond the arc in the first half and 4-of-23 overall. The Knicks went 11-of-30 from deep

TURNING POINT: After trailing for the 11th time in 12 games after the first quarter (29-22), the Knicks turned the tide in the second. In the period, Anthony scored 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 5-of-6 from the line as the Knicks outscored the Hornets, 27-12, to seize a 49-41 halftime lead. He had 20 points and six rebounds at the break. The Knicks then helped put the game away with an 11-0 fourth-quarter run -- highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Copeland and Steve Novak -- to turn a 73-68 lead into an 84-68 advantage.

QUOTABLE II: "I thought Cope was great. You give him an opportunity to start again and he stepped up and made plays offensively and rebounded a few. I'm very pleased with Cope."
-- Mike Woodson

WHO'S HOT: Copeland made the most of his starter's minutes, scoring 20-plus points for the third time this season. He finished 9-of-15 from the field and scored seven key fourth-quarter points.

WHO'S NOT: Hornets guard Austin Rivers went scoreless for the fourth straight game. The former Duke star will face his father, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers on Wednesday.

NOTABLE: Knicks guard Iman Shumpert has been cleared to play after missing the entire season so far while recovering from an ACL injury. He could play Thursday against the Detroit Pistons in London. "He's been cleared," Woodson said Saturday. "He'll practice on Monday and if we get the two practices in, for sure one in London, and there's no setback, he will be cleared, probably, to play in the Detroit game." He added: "Just to have him back in uniform will be nice."

NOTABLE II: Amar'e Stoudemire had 12 points and three rebounds in 23 minutes. Woodson said before the game that Stoudemire had been cleared to up his minutes to between 25-30.

QUOTABLE III: "Each game, Amar'e is going to get better because his minutes are going to grow...Now he's got a little break where. When we hit Detroit, he should be right at his 30 minutes that night."
-- Woodson

NOTABLE III: Anthony has been fasting for 15 days and says he has struggled to find energy during that time. "I usually do it to get some clarity in my life and spiritual reasons," Anthony said after going for 27 points and seven boards as the Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 100-87 win over the New Orleans Hornets. "But I'm done now." The fast might explain Anthony's slow starts recently. In his last two games, he's 2-for-16 with six combined points in two first quarters against Chicago and New Orleans. Of course, he finished with 39 and 27 points, respectively.

QUOTABLE IV: "My teammates, they out there looking out for me on the floor and they telling me to be aggressive."
-- Copeland

INSIDE THE ARENA: Bernard King and Hank Azaria sat courtside.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Thursday vs. Detroit (London), Monday vs. Brooklyn, Jan. 24 @ Boston. For the Hornets, Tuesday @ Philadelphia, Wednesday @ Boston, Saturday vs. Golden State.

• Hornets: Miller
• Knicks: Felton, Shumpert

• Hornets: --
• Knicks: Chandler, Smith

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #36 David Jones, #16 David Guthrie, #77 Karl Lane
• Attendance: 19033
• Duration: 2:17