Carmelo Anthony -- reportedly on the verge of being traded a few days ago -- added to his late-game lore Saturday with another go-ahead basket in the final five seconds of a game.
With the New York Knicks trailing the Philadelphia 76ers 109-108 with less than 10 seconds left Saturday, Anthony took the ball on the left wing. He drove and pulled up before hitting the winning shot with 0.4 seconds left, leading to a 110-109 victory. It was his third go-ahead field goal with less than five seconds left in a game this season, the most in the NBA.
Anthony finished with 37 points, his second-most points in a game this season (he scored 45 in a four-overtime game at the Hawks).
Since Jan. 25, when it was reported the Knicks contacted the Cavaliers about trading Anthony for Kevin Love, Anthony has increased his scoring and shooting percentage, as the chart shows.
Davis’ numbers again not enough for Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis had 27 points and 10 rebounds in the first half against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. It was the second time this season he had at least 25 points and at least 10 rebounds in one half of a game, and he became the first player with two halves of at least 25 and 10 in a season since Carlos Boozer in 2006-07.
Dating to last season, Davis now has three 25-10 halves. Every other player in the NBA has combined for one such half in that span. The “one” came from his new teammate, DeMarcus Cousins.
Davis finished with 39 points and 14 rebounds in the 96-83 loss to the Mavs -- his 14th 30 point-10 rebound game in a loss this season. Elias Sports Bureau research shows that Davis matched Moses Malone (in 1980-81) for the most 30-10 games in a loss in a season since the NBA-ABA merger.
Towns fills out the box score
Karl-Anthony Towns had a career-high 22 rebounds and scored 37 points, matching his third-highest point total in a game in his career, in the Minnesota Timberwolves' 142-130 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Towns is the third player this season with at least 30 points and 20 rebounds in a game. The others are Cousins (36 points, 20 rebounds with the Kings on Nov. 28) and Hassan Whiteside (30 points, 20 rebounds on Feb. 4).
Towns and Andrew Wiggins (30) both reached 30 points for the Timberwolves. That was the 22nd time in franchise history teammates scored at least 30 points, done most recently by Shabazz Muhammad (35) and Wiggins (32) on April 5, 2016, against Golden State.