Scotto: What To Make of Knicks and Nets in mid-January?

After a combined 19-42 record at the end of 2013, the Knicks and Nets have treated 2014 as a clean slate and a springboard to salvage their seasons.

Since the start of January, the teams have a combined 12-4 record.

The New Year’s winning resolution has removed both teams from the Eastern Conference cellar and back into playoff contention – a seemingly distant thought only two weeks ago when both were the laughingstocks of the league.

Below are the three reasons why each team has begun 2014 on a winning note:

New York Knicks:

1. Carmelo Anthony has become a playmaker:

In five of New York’s six January wins, Anthony has had four or more assists in each game.

To this point, the Knicks are also 11-2 overall when Anthony has four or more assists in a game.

The proof was in the pudding when the Knicks beat the Suns on Monday.

Down 90-89 with 53 seconds left in regulation, Anthony put his head down and tried to drive through three Suns defenders.

Often we’ve seen Anthony get called for an offensive foul or take a difficult shot and come up empty on similar sequences.

However, this time Anthony found Raymond Felton all alone in the corner for a 3-pointer that gave the Knicks a 92-90 lead.

After heading into overtime tied at 92, Anthony scored four of New York’s six points to propel the team to a 98-96 victory.

That game was a microcosm of what the Knicks need from Anthony, which is not to force shots and always try to be the hero.

Instead, Anthony must keep his head up while driving, because chances are a teammate will be open for a shot once the defense suffocates to stop him as the primary scoring option.

2. Raymond Felton looks healthy:

Felton has battled injuries throughout the season including a pinched nerve in his hip, a strained hamstring and, most recently, a strained groin.

After missing six consecutive games dating back to Christmas Day, Felton has returned more nimble than at any time this season.

Since returning Jan. 7, Felton has posted his best numbers in any month while averaging 13 points per game on roughly 43 percent shooting from the field to go along with 5.8 assists per game.

While the numbers may not jump off the charts, they are a marked improvement from his nomination to the Sports Illustrated All-Atrocious Team earlier this season.

Felton has shown the ability to split defenders and attack the basket while orchestrating the pick-and-roll game.

The primary beneficiaries have been frontcourt players such as Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin, who have collected alley-oop dunks and open 15-foot elbow jumpers.

When the defense has rotated correctly and closed off the middle, Felton has found shooters like Tim Hardaway Jr. along the wing for open 3-point attempts.

When Felton is healthy and active, the ball moves more efficiently.

3. Amar’e Stoudemire has found consistency:

After struggling with minutes restrictions and not being cleared to play in back-to-back games earlier this season, Stoudemire has played in 14 consecutive games dating back to Dec. 21.

Since January, Stoudemire has settled into his role as the top frontcourt scoring option off the bench.

Stoudemire has averaged an efficient 11.8 points per game on 53.4% shooting from the field and 5.8 rebounds per game in 21.4 minutes per game.

Lately, Stoudemire has seen action down the stretch for New York and has also done something he never has before – effectively share the court with Anthony.

The two have hooked up on several pick-and-rolls plays that have led to elbow jumpers, dunks, or fouls from opposing defenders who are late to rotate when Stoudemire darts toward the basket on the roll.

Overall Outlook:

If the Knicks can get more consistent playmaking ability from Anthony and healthy contributions from Felton and Stoudemire, the team can make the playoffs with the hope of landing at least a sixth seed to avoid facing the Pacers or Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

Consider this, only the Pacers and Heat would make the playoff bracket in the Western Conference if the playoffs were held today.

That is how underwhelming the rest of the Eastern Conference has played in a nutshell.

If the Knicks can continue to surge, they’ll make up ground sooner rather than later.

Brooklyn Nets:

1. Joe Johnson became the go-to guy:

Johnson has become Brooklyn’s go-to scorer throughout games and remains the best clutch scorer down the stretch in the league.

How good has Johnson been? Good enough to earn the nickname, “Joe Jesus” from Kevin Garnett.

In the last five games, Johnson has played like an All-Star, averaging 24.4 points per game while shooting 51% from the field overall and 46.4% from downtown.

Johnson has also shown flashes of the all-around star was saw during his Hawks days averaging 4.4 assists per game and four rebounds per game in the five-game stretch.

At this point, leaving Johnson open at any spot on the floor is a dangerous gamble by the opposing defense.

2. Paul Pierce moves to power forward:

Jason Kidd tinkered with a small-ball lineup at the start of the calendar year with Pierce moving to power forward.

Since the transition, the Nets have compiled a 6-1 record and Pierce has flourished in his new role.

Pierce is averaging 15.9 points per game and played point forward at times while dishing out 3.9 assists operating out of the high post and in pick-and-roll plays.

The move has also allowed Garnett to slide over to center where he can stretch the defense with his perimeter shooting ability and open passing lanes for guards to penetrate.

Garnett was at his best in this position last season for the Celtics alongside Jeff Green at power forward.

With Pierce shifting to Green’s spot, the Nets have seen positive results as they try to make up for the loss of Brook Lopez.

3. Andrei Kirilenko returned:

Kevin Garnett praised the signing of Kirilenko as a major move for Brooklyn’s bench unit during Media Day.

It’s not a coincidence the Nets have beaten the Heat twice with Kirilenko in the lineup.

Kirilenko is a versatile player capable of filling up a stat sheet across the board.

When he does, it usually results in the most important stat sheet for any team – a win on the left side of the standings.

Brooklyn has a 6-1 record with Kirilenko pestering defenders on the ball and thanks to his weak side shot-blocking ability as a help defender.

Kirilenko has made the most of his 16.2 minutes per game this season ranking second in offensive rebounding percentage (12.51), third in offensive rating (113.9), and fifth in total rebound percentage (11.55) and PER (15.95).

Overall Outlook:

Championship expectations took a nosedive when Lopez was lost for the season and with Deron Williams failing to regain his All-Star form to this point.

However, Brooklyn has beaten the Heat twice and shown the ability to hang with teams that play a similar style.

The Nets struggle against teams with depth in the frontcourt such as the Pacers or against quick point guards such as the John Wall of the Wizards.

Therefore, the Nets should be able to move up from the current eighth seed into the middle of the pack and make it past the first round, depending on the playoff matchup.

Michael Scotto is a Sheridan Hoops NBA columnist. You can follow him on Twitter.