NBA News Wire
Knicks 110, Lakers 103
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
NEW YORK — The New York Knicks didn’t need a virtuoso performance from small forward Carmelo Anthony this time, but he still gave them enough to stave off the Los Angeles Lakers 110-103.
Anthony, who tallied a Knicks-record 62 points in the team’s Friday night win over the Charlotte Bobcats, registered a game-high 35 points in Sunday’s matinee. Anthony shot 14-for-31 against Los Angeles while also grabbing four rebounds. And unlike the Charlotte game, Anthony also got into the assist column with five helpers.
Four other Knicks scored in double digits. Point guard Raymond Felton had 20 points and five assists. Center Tyson Chandler added 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while reserve guards J.R. Smith and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. chipped in with 16 and 18 points, respectively.
New York (17-27) earned its second win in a row immediately following a five-game losing streak.
The Lakers (16-29) received a team-high 24 points from guard Jodie Meeks, who shot 8-for-13 overall and 6-for-8 from 3-point range. He exploded for 16 points — and four 3-pointers — in the third quarter. Center Pau Gasol contributed 20 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.
Los Angeles also received an unlikely contribution from reserve guard Manny Harris, who tallied 18 points. Harris is in the midst of his second 10-day contract, but he made a case for sticking around longer by shooting 6-for-9 in 19 minutes of action.
The Knicks held a slim 51-47 halftime lead as Anthony led the way with 20 points in the first half.
Gasol scored 12 first-half points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Los Angeles took a 25-22 lead after the first quarter on the strength of eight points from Gasol. Anthony began to heat up late in the second stanza to take the lead heading into the break.
Felton and Smith had nine points apiece for New York in the first half.
NOTES: Both teams entered the game ranked among the league leaders in 3-point attempts (26 per game each), and Sunday was no different. The Lakers took 23 shots from long range, and the Knicks made 26 attempts from behind the arc. Each team sank 11 3-pointers. … The Lakers posted a 39-30 advantage on points in the paint and an 11-2 edge in fast-break points. … The Lakers went on a 9-0 run to close out the first quarter. … Los Angeles entered the game allowing 106 points per game, which ranked 29th in the league.
