Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 35 points, including the tiebreaking jumper with 3.1 seconds left in overtime, and the New York Knicks beat the Charlotte Hornets 113-111 on Friday night.
Derrick Rose added 16 points and blocked Kemba Walker's 3-pointer that would have won it just before the buzzer. Kristaps Porzingis also scored 16 points in the Knicks' sixth straight home victory.
Former Hornets guard Courtney Lee finished with 12 points in the opener of a home-and-home series.
Marco Belinelli scored 19 points, Nicolas Batum had 18 and Walker added 17 for the Hornets, who have lost four straight games.
Porzingis' 3-pointer from the corner gave New York a 111-109 lead before Michael Kidd-Gilchrist tied it on a backdoor layup. Anthony then made a fadeaway jumper after previously missing a potential game-winning elbow jumper in regulation.
Charlotte took its largest lead of the game at 70-57 in the third quarter. New York responded with a 22-4 run to take a 79-74 lead heading into the fourth. Anthony had 11 points in the third quarter.
Anthony scored 16 points in the first quarter on 6-for-8 shooting from the field.
Sports
TIP-INS
Hornets: Coach Steve Clifford made the case for Kemba Walker to become an All-Star this season. "I thought he could've been an All-Star last year," Clifford said. "I think if our record were better at the All-Star break, I would think he would've been the next guy that didn't make it. He had a terrific year last year and he's playing even better this year. If you're around him every day, he plays well because of the right things. He deserves it." . Walker passed Alonzo Mourning for third place on Charlotte's career free throws made list. . Marvin Williams sustained a hyperextended left knee in the third quarter and didn't return.
Knicks: Coach Jeff Hornacek attributed Porzingis' rising shooting percentage to natural growth and playing within the system: "I like what KP is doing. He's not trying to force a lot of things. He's playing within the game," Hornacek said. "When he's rolling then there's a time when he may take one that they call 'heat checks' or ill-advised shots, but a lot of times he's making those. He's really growing in his game and he's finding out where he can get his opportunities." . Lance Thomas (sore left ankle) and Marshall Plumlee were inactive.
LOSING LEE
Clifford, on Lee's departure as a free agent: "Our problem was, frankly, we had six free agents and they all played well. When we sat down by the time, which was the first day we signed Nicolas (Batum), the second day we signed Marvin (Williams), there was no way we were going to have enough money for those guys. We had really enough for two and Al (Jefferson), Jeremy (Lin) and Courtney all made a lot more money. We couldn't have gotten any of those guys. He played great for us. If you look at our record after we picked him up, he's a terrific player. He's the ultimate dependable, pro, intelligent player."
