Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points, Amare Stoudemire had 20 and the New York Knicks snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 101-95 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night.
Tim Hardaway Jr. added 16 points and Jason Smith 12 as New York snapped its longest losing streak since the 2005-06 team lost 10 straight from Jan. 28-Feb 13 en route to a 23-59 record.
It was just the Knicks’ second road win of the season. They won their first, beating LeBron James and the Cavaliers in his return to Cleveland before losing the next 11.
Jeff Green had 28 points and Tyler Zeller 19 for the Celtics, who dropped their third straight.
Boston sliced it to 75-73 on the first basket of the fourth quarter, Marcus Thornton’s 3-pointer from the right wing, before the Knicks went on a game-breaking 11-0 run over the ensuing 2 minutes. Shane Larkin started the burst with a 3-pointer.
Boston was held to just two baskets in the opening 7 minutes of the fourth, missing nine of its initial 11 shots.
Anthony’s baseline jumper increased it to 90-75 with 5:43 to play.
The Celtics made a late charge, closing it to 99-95 on Phil Pressey’s free throw with 16.8 seconds left, but Anthony’s two free throws sealed it.
New York had pushed its five-point halftime edge to 71-60 on Stoudemire’s basket with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Knicks shot 55 percent in the opening half and led 51-46 at intermission.
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TIP-INS
Knicks: G J.R. Smith was out with a sore left heel. “He wasn’t able to do much (at the shootaround) today,” coach Derek Fisher. “It was really sore. He tried it, I think, a day and a half ago. It was too sore and still too sore now. He’ll be reevaluated later tonight or tomorrow and we’ll go from there.” … G Iman Shumpert left in the second quarter with a dislocated left shoulder after colliding with Green.
Celtics: Coach Brad Stevens didn’t hesitate when asked if he was worried about his team’s motivation playing a struggling team. “We’re not good enough to do that,” he said. “It’s not who you’re playing.” … Boston G Avery Bradley was sent home after showing up with a fever. … G Marcus Smart left the game with a strained left Achilles’ in the first half.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Toronto on Sunday.
Celtics: At Philadelphia on Monday