Carmelo Anthony shook off some boos and a rough shooting night to score 18 points, Courtney Lee added 16 against his former team and the New York Knicks beat the Charlotte Hornets 110-107 on Friday night.
Anthony finished 8 for 26 from the field and had just one basket in the fourth, but it was a big one, a jumper with 13 seconds left and the Knicks clinging to a two-point lead.
Lee carried the Knicks while Anthony struggled, scoring nine straight New York points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:39 left. Lee came to the Knicks in the summer after helping the Hornets to the playoffs last season.
Kemba Walker had 31 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte a night after being chosen as an All-Star for the first time. Marvin Williams added 17 points.
Kristaps Porzingis also scored 18 points for the Knicks, getting off to a strong start but finishing the game on the bench after fouling out. Brandon Jennings, getting extra playing time after Derrick Rose was hurt, scored 15 points.
Anthony added 11 rebounds but frustrated fans with his shooting. He was booed on some misses, including some loud ones after he was way off on one attempt in the fourth quarter.
It continued what's been a tough stretch for Anthony, whose future has become the focus as the Knicks have fallen well back after a strong start. He has a no-trade clause and can stay in New York as long as he wants, but that hasn't stopped speculation that his time here could be nearing an end, with a few reports that the Knicks have been trying to find a deal.
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Anthony said he does his best to ignore it, though that's getting more difficult.
"Being able to go out there and play basketball, that's the fun part for me," he said before the game. "I don't have to worry about anything at that point. I try not to think about it, a little difficult not to think about it."
The Knicks held an 11-point lead but Charlotte surged into the lead with a 36-point third quarter, with 10 points from Walker.
TIP-INS
Hornets: Charlotte fell to 0-7 on the road in January. ... Jeremy Lamb was active but didn't play after missing the last seven games with an inflamed metatarsal. ... Cody Zeller sat out his second straight game with a bruised quadriceps
Knicks: Rose sprained his left ankle in the third quarter and left the game with 13 points. The Knicks said X-rays were negative.
NO-STAR
Anthony wasn't chosen for the All-Star Game for the first time since coming to the Knicks in 2011. He had been elected a starter by fans every year he had been in the Eastern Conference, but finished well back this year and wasn't voted a reserve by East coaches.
"A little disappointed but at this point there's kind of bigger things to worry about," he said. "As a competitor you want to participate in that weekend, knowing how much fun it is, knowing the importance of kind of being down there, and just enjoying that break, that's something that I'll miss the most."
NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME
The Knicks had their game against the Lakers on Monday, Feb. 6 dropped from TNT's coverage lineup on Friday. The network will instead show Cleveland at Washington as the opener of that night's doubleheader.
UP NEXT
Hornets: Host Sacramento on Saturday before going west for a three-game trip.
Knicks: Visit Atlanta on Sunday, the opener of a three-game trip.
