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Nuggets at Knicks: Preview

Associated Press

Carmelo Anthony's best performance of the season wasn't enough to end the New York Knicks' losing streak, but a matchup against his former team could help get it done.

Anthony and the Knicks look to end their seven-game slide Sunday against the Denver Nuggets, who ended a skid of their own their last time out.

Anthony's team-leading 23.5 points per game is more than the combined total of New York's next top scorers -- Iman Shumpert (12.4) and Amare Stoudemire (10.9).

The superstar forward did about all he could Friday against Utah, scoring his team's final 11 points and hitting a 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left to lift New York (2-8) into a tie. However, Trey Burke's jumper from the corner at the buzzer sent the Knicks to a 102-100 loss despite Anthony's 46 points.

Anthony received very little help, as Stoudemire was rested and Shumpert was lost to a hip injury in the opening minute. Pablo Prigioni was the only other Knick in double figures with 13 points.

"Just can't get over the hump right now," Anthony said. "It was a tough shot. I looked up and was like 'no please.' I just wanted it go to overtime. Just give us a chance to play to win.

"I don't like to lose. It was just trying to will our way to a win."

While Stoudemire is expected back and Shumpert's status is unclear, another defeat would give New York its longest slide since dropping nine in a row from Nov. 14-Dec. 1.

First-year coach Derek Fisher feels success is coming, despite the Knicks ranking among the lowest scoring teams in the NBA at 92.4 points per game.

"We still have some stuff to clean up for sure," Fisher said. "When you question what these guys are made of, their commitment to the team, if they're worrying about themselves, go back and watch that game. That's a team right there. We're going to get rewarded for what's happened these first 10 games."

One area where the Knicks are falling well short is at the free-throw line, where they've made just 159 attempts for their fewest at this point in a season since 1963-64.

The Nuggets (2-6) will try to post consecutive wins for the first time this season after ending a six-game losing streak with Friday's 108-87 victory at Indiana. Denver shot a season-best 49.4 percent from the field and limited the Pacers to 40.5 percent in its first road win.

"It's huge. We went on this losing streak and everybody's in here losing their minds," said Ty Lawson, who had 11 points and 10 assists.

Arron Afflalo was one of seven Nuggets in double figures with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting. He averaged 6.0 points on 10 of 26 from the field in the previous four games while missing 6 of 7 from long range.

Afflalo could be in for another strong performance since he's averaged 26.0 points on 56.0 percent shooting -- including 11 for 16 from beyond the arc -- over his last three meetings with the Knicks.

The Nuggets have won three of five meetings with New York since the Anthony trade in February 2011. However, they've struggled to contain their former star, who has averaged 25.2 points in those matchups, including 31 in a 117-90 victory at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 7.