New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers shooting guard Lance Stephenson (1) during the fourth quarter of a game at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the Pacers 92-86. PICTURE: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The surging New York Knicks opened the Phil Jackson era with another win and the playoff push continues.
Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points, Amar’e Stoudemire added 21, and the Knicks beat the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers 92-86 Wednesday night for their season-high seventh straight victory.
The Knicks (28-40) moved within four games of idle Atlanta (31-35) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
“Hard times call for desperate measures and right now our backs are against the wall,” Anthony said. “The teams that we play we feel are in our way and we don’t want to let nothing stop that. We’re playing at a very high level right now.”
Jackson watched his first game from a mid-court seat, one day after being named team president of basketball operations. The Hall of Fame coach and former Knicks player received a standing ovation from the Madison Square Garden sellout crowd when introduced before tip-off and his presence seemed to inspire the club.
“It was beautiful and well-deserved,” Stoudemire said. “He creates a winning mentality that’s awesome and we have to capitalise on that.”
Playing with maximum energy, effort and a mental focus, the Knicks led 47-35 at halftime before the Pacers got back into the contest.
Roy Hibbert powered for 14 third-quarter points drawing Indiana within 67-62 entering the final frame.
The Knicks regrouped and led 78-69 as Raymond Felton banked in a desperation 3-pointer to beat the shot clock with 5 minutes 48 seconds remaining.
The Pacers kept clawing away and drew within 86-80 on Lance Stephenson’s 3-pointer with 1:54 left. But they turned the ball over on the next two possessions, while Felton buried a jumper and Anthony split a pair of free throws at the other end.
Paul George hit all three from the stripe after drawing a foul on a 3-point try to bring the Pacers within 90-86 with 13.5 seconds left. But Tim Hardaway Jr. sank two free throws to wrap up the win.
“We’ve been playing pretty good basketball,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. “We were able to hold our composure and bring it home after they made their run.” Stephenson had 21 points with nine rebounds, Hibbert scored 20, but All-Star George struggled for 17 on 4-of-17 shooting for the Pacers (50-18), whose four-game winning streak ended.
•Boston Celtics 101, Miami Heat 96: Avery Bradley hit a career-high six triples en route to 23 points, Rajon Rondo had nine points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, as the Celtics took advantage LeBron James’ absence (back spasm) to snap a five-game slide after beating the visiting Heat.
Dwyane Wade had 17 points as two-time defending champ Miami lost for the sixth time in the last eight games.
•Chicago Bulls 102, Philadelphia 76ers 94: D.J Augustin scored 20 points, Taj Gibson had 19 with 13 rebounds, and the Bulls extended the sorrowful Sixers’ franchise-record losing streak to 22 overall and 17 at home.
•San Antonio Spurs 125, LA Lakers 109: Frenchman Tony Parker scored 25 points, Kawhi Leonard added 22 with 10 rebounds, and the league-best Spurs (52-16) pulled away to beat the Lakers for their 11th consecutive victory.
Xavier Henry netted 24 points while Spaniard Pau Gasol had 22 with 10 rebounds for the playoff-eliminated Lakers (22-45) who were outscored by 15 in the second half.
•Minnesota Timberwolves 123, Dallas Mavericks 122 (OT): Kevin Love scored 35 points, including the game-winning jumper with 17 seconds left in overtime, Spaniard Ricky Rubio had 22 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for his third career triple-double, as the visiting T-Wolves trimmed the Mavericks.
German star Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 27 points but missed the potential game-winning jumper in the final seconds.
•Brooklyn Nets 104, Charlotte Bobcats 99: Deron Williams scored 11 of his 23 points in the final six minutes, and the Nets won their 10th straight at home after beating the Bobcats, who got 18 from Al Jefferson.
•Toronto Raptors 107, New Orleans Pelicans 100: DeMar DeRozan scored 31 points, Kyle Lowry added 23, and the Raptors capitalized on the absence of All-Star Anthony Davis (illness) to slip past the Pelicans.
•Memphis Grizzlies 96, Utaj Jazz 86: Zach Randolph had 21 points with 11 rebounds, Spaniard Marc Gasol added 20 with 10 boards, powering the Grizzlies to their eighth consecutive home win while sending the Jazz to its sixth straight loss.
•Denver Nuggets 118, Detroit Pistons 109: Aaron Brooks had 27 points with a career-high 17 assists, and the Nuggets won for the fourth time in the last five games, while handing the Pistons their 11th consecutive road defeat.
•Phoenix Suns 109, Orlando Magic 93: Slovenia’s Goran Dragic scored 18 points, Gerald Green had 14, including a trio of triples in a 23-3 game-breaking blitz bridging the third and fourth quarters, as the Suns dropped the Magic to a league-worst 4-32 on the road.