What a night.
Carmelo Anthony put on a performance that fans at Madison Square Garden will not soon forget, Dirk Nowitzki re-emerged as captain clutch and Chris Paul returned to New Orleans. Furthermore, the NBA’s worst losing streak continued and a veteran continued to turn back the hands of time.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action.
1. Go ahead and question Carmelo Anthony’s effort and star status. All you’ll be doing is risking your reputation and knowledge of the game.
‘Melo took over with 44 points, nine rebounds, four steals and a block on a season-high seven 3-point field goals made. Even still, the New York Knicks fell 110-108 to the Dallas Mavericks when Dirk Nowitzki sank a heavily-defended buzzer-beater.
Anthony has five 40-point games in losses this season—the most of any player over the past two campaigns.
2. Chris Paul returned to the city that he once called home and Jamal Crawford remained red-hot as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 123-110. CP3 finished with 19 points, 13 assists and two steals, and Crawford scored 24 on seven 3-point field goals to give L.A. a winning record on the road at 16-15.
At power forward, Blake Griffin scored 22 points for L.A. and Anthony Davis tallied 26, 11 rebounds and a pair of blocks for the Pelicans. Griffin has scored at least 20 points in a career-best 17 straight games.
3. The Splash Brothers both scored 19 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a critical 104-96 road win over the Detroit Pistons. Stephen Curry finished with 19, nine assists and eight rebounds, while Thompson tallied 18 on 8-of-12 shooting.
Down low, Jermaine O’Neal recorded his second straight double-double and his third consecutive double-digit rebound game. Prior to this streak, O’Neal hadn’t achieved either feat since February 27, 2013.
4. Alec Burks scored 21 points and Derrick Favors put up 20 as the Utah Jazz took down the Boston Celtics 110-98. Gordon Hayward added 10 assists to overcome 18 points and 10 dimes from Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo.
After ending 2013 at 10-24, Utah is 10-12 since January 1.
5. O.J. Mayo came off of the bench to drop 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 7-of-9 from beyond the arc as the Milwaukee Bucks demolished the Philadelphia 76ers 130-110 on the road. It was an incredibly improbable victory, with Milwaukee’s 20-point road blowout victory helping it improve to 5-22 away from home.
Philadelphia’s 11-game losing streak is tied for the worst of the season. The other team to do it was the squad that beat the Sixers: the Bucks.
Bonus Facts
- Amar’e Stoudemire of the Knicks made his first start since April 26, 2012.
- Rajon Rondo has played 13 games. He’s already tied for 18th in double-doubles by a point guard with Damian Lillard, Jameer Nelson and Kemba Walker.