NEW YORK (AP) ― Toasted in Texas, the New York Knicks fixed things on their home floor.
Now it’s right back on the road ― or subway, for those so inclined ― for the first chance to claim city supremacy.
Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points in just 32 minutes, and the Knicks ended a two-game losing streak with a 121-100 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Steve Novak added a season-high 18 and JR Smith had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who started 8-1 and had the Eastern Conference’s best record before a couple of defenseless performances in Texas spanning the Thanksgiving holiday. They were much better Sunday, improving to 5-0 at home.
“We just kind of had a lapse those two games, I would like to think, and tonight was a lot better,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said.
New York takes the short trip to Brooklyn on Monday to face the Nets, a game that was supposed to be the season opener for both teams and the first matchup since the Nets moved from New Jersey before it was postponed because of Superstorm Sandy.
“If we don’t get up for this game, then I don’t know what games we’ll get up for,” said Anthony, a Brooklyn native. “It’s an inner-city game, New York vs. Brooklyn. To me, going back home, going back to my borough, playing my first game back there is a very special moment for myself.”
Brandon Knight scored 21 points and Charlie Villanueva had 17 for the Pistons, who have lost six straight games at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks have been a much-improved defensive team under Woodson but had a slipup at the end of their road trip, allowing 114 points in a loss at Dallas and then yielding 131 while getting blown out Friday in Houston.
Rondo leads Celtics to win ORLANDO, Florida (AP) ― The Boston Celtics will be the first to admit that they aren’t playing their best defensive basketball right now.
But having two of the league’s best closers and one of its top point guards certainly helps with the rough patches.
Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 10 rebounds, Paul Pierce added 23 points and Rajon Rondo was one rebound shy of a triple double with 15 points and 16 assists as the Boston Celtics outlasted the Orlando Magic 116-110 in overtime Sunday night.
The win was their second straight overall and sixth consecutive over the Magic.
Pierce had 14 points after halftime, and said that despite his team’s recent struggles defensively, it was a much needed character building kind of victory.
“That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “Finding a way to win. Not feeling sorry for ourselves late about giving up a pretty good lead. And just finding a way to grind it out. And that’s what we did.”
J.J. Redick scored 21 and Jameer Nelson had 20 for the Magic, whose loss snapped a two-game win streak.
Orlando led by as many as seven in the fourth quarter, but had 19 turnovers that led to 23 Celtics’ points. It was the seventh straight game in which the Magic have had at least 15 turnovers.
San Antonio 111, Toronto 106
Brooklyn 98, Portland 85
Philadelphia 104, Phoenix 101
Denver 102, New Orleans 84
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
