New York Knicks Blog – Page 72 – NBA Blog

Knicks win first Atlantic division title since 1994

The Atlantic Division title has gone from preseason goal to late-season stepping stone.

The New York Knicks celebrated their first division title in nearly 20 years Tuesday, a goal they’ve discussed since training camp, then quickly turned their attention to their future plans:

-Earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

-Extending their 13-game winning streak.

-Beating Chicago for the first time this season.

-And then chasing, as J.R. Smith called it, ”that gold ball.”

The Knicks romped to their first Atlantic Division title since 1994, getting 36 points from Carmelo Anthony and beating the Washington Wizards 120-99 for their 13th straight victory.

”We took care of the division. Now it’s about making this run, finishing out the regular season strong and trying to making a push in the playoffs,” Anthony said.

Anthony put this one away with 21 points during the Knicks’ 37-point third quarter that gave them a 95-71 lead. The NBA’s scoring leader added eight rebounds and six assists while becoming the first Knick since newly elected Hall of Famer Bernard King with five straight 35-point games.

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Knicks legend Bernard King says current squad can handle Heat

Bernard King, on the day he was officially named a Hall of Fame inductee, said the matchups may favor the Knicks in an Eastern Conference showdown against Miami and he has never seen Carmelo Anthony not do well against LeBron James.

“I certainly think that they have a chance to beat any team they face, whether it’s Miami or whatever,’’ King said yesterday. “The Knicks are a very deep team. They have a tremendous bench, and obviously in terms of their 3-point shooting, that puts tremendous pressure on the defense. It spreads the floor, and it allows [Tyson] Chandler to roll to the basket to get easy buckets around the hoop. I like their style of play, and I like the defense that they’re playing.’’

The Knicks have taken three of four from Miami this season.

— Reported by Marc Berman and Steve Serby of the New York Post

Carmelo Anthony, Nikola Pekovic named NBA Players of Week through April 7, 2013

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and Minnesota Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, April 1 through Sunday, April 7.

Anthony led the Knicks, who are in the midst of a 12-game winning streak, to a 4-0 week. He averaged a league-best 41.8 points and became just the second Knick (Bernard King) to tally 40-or-more points in three consecutive outings. Anthony set a season high and tied a career high with 50 points during a 102-90 win over the Miami Heat on April 2. He posted back-to-back double-doubles to close the week in wins over the Milwaukee Bucks on April 5 and Oklahoma City Thunder on April 7.

Pekovic helped the Timberwolves to a 3-1 week behind averages of 25.0 points (third in the conference), and 8.5 rebounds (11th in the conference), while shooting .589 from the field (ninth in the conference). Pekovic led Minnesota in scoring in all four contests and in rebounding three times. His 20-point, 13-rebound performance to close the week during a 107-101 win over the Detroit Pistons marked the 1,000th career victory for head coach Rick Adelman.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Brooklyn’s Deron Williams, Chicago’s Carlos Boozer, Denver’s Corey Brewer, Indiana’s Roy Hibbert, Memphis’ Mike Conley, and Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Knicks beat Thunder for 12th straight win

Driving to the basket in crunch time, Raymond Felton slipped to the floor and lost the basketball in the process. All he could do was lunge back at it and bat it toward J.R. Smith as the shot clock ticked closer to zero.

For the second straight possession, Smith beat the buzzer – this time with a 3-pointer – and the Knicks closed out a 125-120 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

”He makes plays like that. He makes tough shots. Sometimes I think he likes to take the tougher shot than the easier shot. They still go in,” said teammate Carmelo Anthony, who had 36 points and 12 rebounds while moving ahead of Kevin Durant to become the NBA’s top scorer.

”That shot, it was a nail in the coffin.”

Smith finished with 22 points, including the two biggest shots of the game. He connected on a 23-foot jumper from the right wing as the 24-second clock expired to put New York up 117-113 with 1:30 to play, then swished a 3-pointer with 56.8 seconds left that all but sealed New York’s 50th win of the season…

The victory was the Knicks’ 12th in a row and put them at 50 wins for the first time in 13 years. They also moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Indiana for second place in the Eastern Conference and moved onto the doorstep of clinching the Atlantic Division title.

Russell Westbrook had 37 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Oklahoma City, which fell a game behind San Antonio for first place in the West with five games left.

— Reported by Jeff Latzke of the Associated Press

Bernard King to be inducted into Hall of Fame

Former Knick Bernard King has finally gotten into the Hall of Fame, according to a source.

The announcements will become official Monday at the Final Four in Atlanta. Ironically, King lives in Atlanta and attended the Knicks game Wednesday.

King played from 1982-87 with the Knicks and his career was shortened by knee trouble. He was disappointed in recent years about being passed over for the Hall. His name came up this week when Carmelo Anthony nearly acheived his feat of posting back-to-back 50-point games. King did that during the 1984-85 season. King averaged 26.5 points during his Knicks career.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post (Blog)

Melo score 40 vs Hawks, Knicks win 10th game in a row

Carmelo Anthony put on another scoring show, though he didn’t have to do it alone.

Anthony scored 40 points and the Knicks got key contributions from J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton during a 19-5 fourth-quarter run that sparked New York to its 10th straight victory, 95-82 over Atlanta on Wednesday night.

”Melo is smart enough to know that if he’s doubled, he’ll sacrifice the ball,” said Knicks coach Mike Woodson. ”And we’ve got enough shooters around him that are making big shots. That opens it up for him even more. And when he gets going like he did tonight, they’re not going to leave him alone very often.”

Anthony, who scored 50 in his last game at Miami, scored 26 in the first half. He commanded more defensive attention in the second half, which left opportunities for Smith, who scored 19, and Felton, who scored 14. Felton’s quickness to the basket resulted in three straight scores during a 12-2 streak that turned a tie game into an 84-74 Knicks lead that was never threatened…

Anthony made 17 of 27 from the field and was 5-for-6 at the line. He also had five rebounds and three assists, with only one turnover…

Atlanta lost the opportunity to move into a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference and wasted a 25-point effort by Kyle Korver, who came up two points short of his season high.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Carmelo Anthony scores 50 points on banged-up Heat

On this night, LeBron James couldn’t touch Carmelo Anthony — and Melo should thank Miami president Pat Riley for it.

With James and Dwyane Wade sitting out Tuesday night’s showdown with “minor’’ ailments, Anthony put on a South Beach show with 50 points in 40 minutes.

Anthony carried the Knicks to a 102-90 victory at AmericanAirlines Arena for their ninth straight victory — their longest winning streak since 1993-94.

Anthony had 42 points after three quarters but needed a 19-footer with 16.9 seconds to reach the magical 50 that tied his career high. James had a great view from the bench — as Anthony sank 18 of 26 baskets, made 7 of 10 3-pointers and 7 of 8 free throws.

How’d it look, LeBron?

“He was unbelievable,’’ coach Mike Woodson said. “He refused to let us lose tonight. He wasn’t forcing anything. Some things come easy for a great player and tonight he did everything he was supposed to do to put us in position to win.’’

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

J.R. Smith scored 14 and Raymond Felton added 10 for New York.

Chris Bosh scored 23 points for Miami, which beat San Antonio on Sunday without James, Wade and Chalmers, but managed only 32 second-half points against the Knicks. Mike Miller scored 18, Ray Allen finished with 16 and Norris Cole had 14 for the Heat, whose 17-game home winning streak was snapped.

The Knicks beat the Heat in three of their four regular-season matchups. They likely would not meet again before the Eastern Conference finals.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Knicks rout Celtics for 8th straight win

Closing in on one goal of ending Boston’s division title reign, the New York Knicks added another.

While they were finishing off their second victory over the Celtics this week, injured forward Rasheed Wallace drew a large ”50” on the board in their locker room, challenging them to strive for a 50-win season.

They’re on pace to get that, too, in what’s shaping up as their best season in two decades.

Carmelo Anthony had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Knicks extended their winning streak to eight games and moved closer to ending Boston’s hold on the Atlantic Division title with a 108-89 victory Sunday night…

Chris Copeland added 22 points and Raymond Felton had 18 for the Knicks, who last won eight in a row from Nov. 28-Dec. 12, 2010. They will try to extend the streak Tuesday at NBA-leading Miami…

J.R. Smith, who had 30 points off the bench in his previous three games, finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Jeff Green scored 27 points, and Paul Pierce had 24 points and 15 rebounds as the Celtics had a two-game winning streak snapped.

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Knicks center Tyson Chandler remains out

Center Tyson Chandler has missed the past nine games with a pinched nerve in his neck, but the New York Knicks remain optimistic that he will return for the playoffs if not before.

Chandler was expected back about a week ago after an MRI revealed a bulging disk in his neck, but the Knicks have no timetable for his return. He suffered the injury on March 13.

“There’s always a concern, but he’ll be fine,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said, according to the New York Post. “We’re just being cautious. Eventually, he’ll be back. I like to think he’s getting better. He’ll let us know when it’s time for him to step back on the floor.”

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Tyson Chandler sits again with neck issue

Center Tyson Chandler missed his ninth straight game Friday night amid growing concern he has a pinched nerve in his neck.

There is no longer a timetable for his return. Twelve days ago, after an MRI exam uncovered a bulging disk in his cervical spine, the Knicks announced he would be back in one week.

“There’s always a concern but he’ll be fine,’’ coach Mike Woodson said. “We’re just being cautious. Eventually, he’ll be back. I like to think he’s getting better. He’ll let us know when it’s time for him to step back on the floor.’’

Dr. Wellington Hsu, a spine specialist at Northwestern University, told The Post the symptoms appear to be related to a pinched nerve that isn’t easy to get rid of.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post