Fibroso
03-08-2011, 12:58 PM
Anthony, Stoudemire hit high notes vs. Jazz
March, 8, 2011 Mar 8
2:41
AM ET
By Ian Begley
The morning after the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire predicted that he and Anthony would form a “1, 1A” offensive combination to pound opponents into submission.
The ensuing six games were hit or miss for the two superstars.
One night, Anthony would dominate the ball and Stoudemire would defer.
The next night, Stoudemire would play the role of “Alpha Male” with Anthony riding shotgun.
Monday against the Jazz, in their eighth game since the trade, it all seemed to come together for the two superstars.
Anthony finished with a Knick career-high 31 points and Stoudemire had 34 in New York’s 131-109 route of Utah.
Anthony and Stoudemire shot a combined 24-for-31 from the field as the Knicks won for the fifth time in six tries against teams with winning records.
“It takes time to get the rhythm down,” Stoudemire said after the Knicks won back-to-back games for the first time in the Anthony era. “Myself and Carmelo, (we) can score with one-on-one ease, but to get everybody involved and play team basketball is the ultimate goal for us. Tonight it worked out well.”
Backup guard Toney Douglas, subbing for the injured Chauncey Billups, helped facilitate for the superstars, finishing with six assists. Four Knicks had at least five helpers against Utah and the team finished with season-highs of 32 assists and 131 points on 46 baskets.
Douglas also had 20 points on six-of-nine shooting, including five-of-seven from beyond the arc. The Knicks shot a blistering 56% from the field overall, 11% higher than the average for a Jazz opponent entering play tonight.
“The key is not caring who scores or how, just to make sure the team functions well,” Mike D’Antoni said.
That sounds great from the coach’s perspective. But D’Antoni knows that ultimately the Knicks (33-29) will go as far as Anthony and Stoudemire can take them this season.
They showed as much early in the Monday night massacre of the Jazz (33-31).
New York jumped out to a ten-point lead five minutes into the first, taking advantage of four Utah turnovers in the mini-spurt. Stoudemire and Anthony combined for ten points in New York’s 13-4 run that led to a 40-24 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Knicks never looked back from that, holding a double-digit lead for the final 41 minutes.
Anthony said after the game that he and Stoudemire worked on opposite sides of the floor for most of the night, which spread the Jazz defense and in turn created high-percentage shots for both players.
“I’ve been talking to him about just trying to get him more open shots, more open looks and vice-versa,” Anthony said of Stoudemire.
It showed as the Knick offense wasn’t bogged down by one-on-one maneuvers from Stoudemire or Anthony on Monday, as it has been in the past. Fourteen of Anthony and Stoudemire’s 24 makes came on assists.
“We are just trying to play opposite of eachother. Just trying to work off of eachother,” Anthony said after his 17th 30-point effort this season.
Anthony was asked after the game if it was fair to expect he and Stoudemire to come out and score 30 every night.
“I don’t want to put that pressure on myself to say I want to score 30 points a night,” he said. I’m passed that now.”
And if he and Stoudemire can continue to coalesce the way they did Monday night, he won’t have to.
March, 8, 2011 Mar 8
2:41
AM ET
By Ian Begley
The morning after the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire predicted that he and Anthony would form a “1, 1A” offensive combination to pound opponents into submission.
The ensuing six games were hit or miss for the two superstars.
One night, Anthony would dominate the ball and Stoudemire would defer.
The next night, Stoudemire would play the role of “Alpha Male” with Anthony riding shotgun.
Monday against the Jazz, in their eighth game since the trade, it all seemed to come together for the two superstars.
Anthony finished with a Knick career-high 31 points and Stoudemire had 34 in New York’s 131-109 route of Utah.
Anthony and Stoudemire shot a combined 24-for-31 from the field as the Knicks won for the fifth time in six tries against teams with winning records.
“It takes time to get the rhythm down,” Stoudemire said after the Knicks won back-to-back games for the first time in the Anthony era. “Myself and Carmelo, (we) can score with one-on-one ease, but to get everybody involved and play team basketball is the ultimate goal for us. Tonight it worked out well.”
Backup guard Toney Douglas, subbing for the injured Chauncey Billups, helped facilitate for the superstars, finishing with six assists. Four Knicks had at least five helpers against Utah and the team finished with season-highs of 32 assists and 131 points on 46 baskets.
Douglas also had 20 points on six-of-nine shooting, including five-of-seven from beyond the arc. The Knicks shot a blistering 56% from the field overall, 11% higher than the average for a Jazz opponent entering play tonight.
“The key is not caring who scores or how, just to make sure the team functions well,” Mike D’Antoni said.
That sounds great from the coach’s perspective. But D’Antoni knows that ultimately the Knicks (33-29) will go as far as Anthony and Stoudemire can take them this season.
They showed as much early in the Monday night massacre of the Jazz (33-31).
New York jumped out to a ten-point lead five minutes into the first, taking advantage of four Utah turnovers in the mini-spurt. Stoudemire and Anthony combined for ten points in New York’s 13-4 run that led to a 40-24 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Knicks never looked back from that, holding a double-digit lead for the final 41 minutes.
Anthony said after the game that he and Stoudemire worked on opposite sides of the floor for most of the night, which spread the Jazz defense and in turn created high-percentage shots for both players.
“I’ve been talking to him about just trying to get him more open shots, more open looks and vice-versa,” Anthony said of Stoudemire.
It showed as the Knick offense wasn’t bogged down by one-on-one maneuvers from Stoudemire or Anthony on Monday, as it has been in the past. Fourteen of Anthony and Stoudemire’s 24 makes came on assists.
“We are just trying to play opposite of eachother. Just trying to work off of eachother,” Anthony said after his 17th 30-point effort this season.
Anthony was asked after the game if it was fair to expect he and Stoudemire to come out and score 30 every night.
“I don’t want to put that pressure on myself to say I want to score 30 points a night,” he said. I’m passed that now.”
And if he and Stoudemire can continue to coalesce the way they did Monday night, he won’t have to.