Nets-Knicks Preview

Posted Jan 20 2013 6:46PM

In a season full of memorable moments for Carmelo Anthony, he can create another Monday.

Anthony will be in the spotlight in the New York Knicks' annual Martin Luther King Day home game, with the rival Brooklyn Nets trying to move closer in the Atlantic Division race.

The Knicks star has scored at least 20 points in 25 straight games, the longest such streak of his career. Anthony has developed into an MVP candidate while lifting New York to possible championship contender status.

"I've been on some good teams, had good players on some of the teams that I've played with," Anthony said. "But as far as being a complete team from top to bottom, this is the best team I've been a part of."

In his first appearance with the Knicks on this holiday, Anthony scored 33 points but shot 9 of 27 in a 102-93 loss to Orlando last season. This will be the team's 14th straight year playing on Martin Luther King Day, with New York going 18-7 at home.

Anthony has averaged 37.0 points in helping New York (25-13) go 2-1 against Brooklyn this season.

The Nets (24-16) are two games behind the first-place Knicks in the Atlantic, and are eager for this high-profile contest.

"It's a great honor to play on this day," reserve Jerry Stackhouse said. "We're fortunate to play in a city where one of the pioneers of sports, (who) kind of transcended sports played in Jackie Robinson. And now we get to honor a guy who kind of transcended the world in his belief in equality and things like that."

Brooklyn comes to Madison Square Garden with more confidence than it had in these teams' last meeting, a 100-86 loss Dec. 19. Coach Avery Johnson was fired eight days later, so the Knicks will get their first look at a Nets team that's 10-2 under P.J. Carlesimo.

"We've got to go in there with the mind-frame that we understand it's going to be a hostile environment and some way, somehow we've got to come out of there on top," Brooklyn guard Joe Johnson said. "They beat us the last two times and we owe them."

Johnson has fared poorly against the Knicks this season, averaging 13.7 points and 37.5 percent shooting.

Point guard Raymond Felton started all three previous matchups for New York, but he's out with a broken right pinky finger. Former Net Jason Kidd has taken his place in the starting lineup.

New York got a key player back in Thursday's 102-87 victory over Detroit in London. Iman Shumpert made his season debut and had eight points after being out due to a torn ACL.

"We all know what he brings to the game," Anthony said. "So it was just a matter of him just testing it out and seeing what he was able to do and we know he was excited, we were excited."

The Nets begin a four-game trip after winning 94-89 over Atlanta on Friday behind Deron Williams' 24 points and Reggie Evans' 20 rebounds.

Nets beat Knicks to split four-game series

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted Jan 21 2013 8:28PM

NEW YORK (AP) Joe Johnson and the Nets left Madison Square Garden for the last time this regular season, even with the Knicks in the series and right behind them in the standings.

Year One of a new rivalry for Brooklyn and New York is over - barring a postseason matchup - and Johnson thinks it lived up to expectations.

"You've got two teams in New York. They want to be the top dogs. We want to be the top dogs. It's a battle. We split. We'll see what happens next," he said.

Johnson made the go-ahead jumper with 22 seconds left and scored 25 points, leading the Nets to an 88-85 victory over the Knicks on Monday and a split of the four games between the city rivals.

Deron Williams added 14 points and 12 assists for the Nets, who cut the Knicks' Atlantic Division lead to one game. Brook Lopez had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Kris Humphries came off the bench for 11 points and 13 boards.

Brooklyn won the first matchup, and then New York took the next two and opened a huge lead in the standings that the Nets have spent most of the last month wiping away.

"Big game tonight! The Garden got really quiet on the way out!" Humphries posted on Twitter.

Carmelo Anthony had 29 points and seven assists for the Knicks, but missed all six shots in the fourth quarter and finished 11 of 29 for the game. J.R. Smith scored 16 points and Amare Stoudemire 15.

"It's over. We don't see them anymore, but it is the beginning of something that's going to be here for a long, long time." Anthony said. "These games that we play against Brooklyn are definitely going to be tough, hard battles and as a Knick, we definitely look forward to that challenge and look forward to playing them four times."

There's still the hope of a playoff battle in the spring, both teams well positioned to reach the postseason.

"I think it's a good rivalry right now. It's a very good rivalry. It's got the potential to be even better," Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo said. "That's with a lot of friendships among the players and the coaching staffs. It's really good for New York basketball."

The Nets survived a pair of lengthy droughts in the second half but got 10 points in the final period from Johnson, who used to play for Knicks coach Mike Woodson in Atlanta and has become the player Brooklyn turns to for big shots in the clutch.

Anthony had his 26th straight 20-point game, tied with Stoudemire for third-longest streak in franchise history, but the Knicks were sluggish early in their first game since playing in London on Thursday and lost for the third straight time on Martin Luther King Day.

The Knicks led by three before consecutive 3-pointers by CJ Watson and Johnson gave Brooklyn a 78-75 lead. Smith scored, but then Johnson made another 3 and a jumper to extend the lead to 83-77 with 5:38 remaining before the Nets went cold again.

New York shut Brooklyn out over the next 5 minutes while scoring seven in a row, regaining the lead on Anthony's free throws with 40 seconds to play. But the Nets got the ball on the next possession to Johnson, who dribbled right toward the baseline and pulled up for the go-ahead basket.

Anthony missed badly on the next possession and the Knicks fouled Williams, who made both with 8.3 seconds to play for a three-point lead. Jason Kidd made one after the Nets fouled him intentionally, but the Knicks had one final chance after Williams hit just one of two on his next trip, ending a streak of 52 consecutive made free throws. Smith's rushed 3-point attempt bounced off the backboard and front of the rim.

"I thought we did a good job defensively. Joe Johnson made some tough shots, we let him get to his sweet spot a couple of times, but the effort was there," Knicks center Tyson Chandler said. "You've got to give them credit for hitting big shots."

The Knicks led the division by six games after beating the Nets here on Dec. 19, but the Nets have gone 11-2 under Carlesimo while the Knicks have battled injuries and failed to play at the level they reached early in the season.

Humphries finished with nine points and eight rebounds in 12 first-half minutes, and the Nets led 47-41 at the break.

The Knicks shot under 35 percent in the first half and trailed by nine early in the third quarter before finally finding their legs. Stoudemire and Smith each had two baskets before Anthony's jumper capped a 10-0 run that gave New York a 63-60 lead during a span in which it held Brooklyn without a basket for five minutes. The Knicks led 68-65 after three.

It was the third tight game in the series, the games living up to the extra emphasis that was put on them since the Nets' move from New Jersey into the Knicks' city. Anthony was the dominant player in the series, a thrill for the Brooklyn native and a tough pill to swallow for the Nets, who desperately tried to acquire him two years ago before the Denver Nuggets instead took the Knicks' package.

But he couldn't quite reach his level of play from the first three games, when he averaged 37 points.

"Two and two against them stinks," Smith said.

Notes: Iman Shumpert had two points on 1-of-6 shooting in his second game of the season after returning from a torn knee ligament. The second-year guard, who debuted in the victory over Detroit in London, got a huge ovation when he was announced with the starters. ... Richie Guerin holds the Knicks' record with 29 straight 20-point games. Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing had a 28-game streak. ... The Knicks fell to 18-9 on the holiday.

Notebook: Nets 88, Knicks 85

Adam Zagoria, For NBA.com
Posted Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:16 PM - Updated Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:16 PM

THE FACTS: Joe Johnson hit a go-ahead, fall-away jumper over J.R. Smith with 22.3 seconds left, and Deron Williams made 3 of his final 4 foul shots down the stretch as the Nets beat the Knicks 88-85 on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Madison Square Garden Monday.

Smith later missed a potential game-tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

The Nets (25-16) moved to within one game of the Atlantic Division-leading Knicks (25-14), two in the loss column. They also evened the season series at 2-2.

Johnson went for a team-best 25 points, including 10 in the fourth period.

For Brooklyn, Brook Lopez added 14 points and 11 rebounds and Williams had 14 points and 12 assists. Kris Humphries had 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 29 points, but badly missed a six-foot jumper that would've given the Knicks an 86-85 lead.

Smith added 16 points off the bench and Amar'e Stoudemire had 15 for New York. Tyson Chandler tallied seven points and 11 rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "I don't make no excuses. I should've made the shot. I don't know what to say about that."

-- Carmelo Anthony

THE STAT: The Nets shot 12-for-24 from beyond the arc, led by Johnson's 5-for-8. The Knicks went 6-for-21 from deep, with Smith going 2-for-7. Brooklyn outrebounded the Knicks, 52-37.

QUOTABLE II: "This is a big win for us. This was a big game to tie this thing up, this being Martin Luther King Day against the Knicks. This was a huge win."

-- Deron Williams

TURNING POINT: The Nets used an 11-2 fourth-quarter run to turn a 75-72 deficit into an 83-77 lead they never surrendered. Johnson scored eight points during the spurt, hitting two 3-pointers.

QUOTABLE III: "J.R. [Smith] was right there, but Joe [Johnson] was the better player in that situation."

-- Knicks coach Mike Woodson on the go-ahead jumper

WHO'S HOT: Johnson went 8-for-20 overall, but was 5-for-8 from deep to help take the game over down the stretch for Brooklyn.

WHO'S NOT: Playing in just his second game since returning from ACL surgery, Knicks guard Iman Shumpert went 1-for-6 for two points -- including 0-for-3 from deep -- while adding four rebounds in 20 minutes.

QUOTABLE IV: "It was pretty good defense until the end."

-- J.R. Smith on his defense on Joe Johnson

NOTABLE: Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo is now 11-2 since taking over for Avery Johnson, who was fired.

QUOTABLE V: "We knew this game was big. They got on on our home floor [on Dec. 1] and we wanted to prove we could play in Madison Square Garden against them. I think we played well tonight."

-- Brook Lopez

INSIDE THE ARENA: Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bill Bradley sat courtside.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Thursday @ Boston, Saturday @ Philadelpha, Sunday vs. Atlanta. For the Nets, Wednesday @ Minnesota, Friday @ Memphis, Saturday @ Houston.

• Nets: Shengelia, Taylor
• Knicks: Camby, Felton

• Nets: --
• Knicks: Chandler

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #15 Bennett Salvatore, #35 Kane Fitzgerald, #45 Brian Forte
• Attendance: 19033
• Duration: 2:16