Despite a shortened training camp and limited time spent together with a new roster, the New York Knicks delivered an impressive performance in the opening half against the Boston Celtics, as they have jumped out to a 62-52 lead in this Christmas Day showdown.
The trio of Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Toney Douglas proved particularly difficult for the Celtics to slowdown, with all three scoring in double-digits in the opening half. In his role as a point-forward for the Knicks, Anthony put his versatile game on full display, scoring 17 points, pulling down 8 boards and dishing out 2 assists.
Stoudemire was nearly flawless on the offensive end in the opening half, scoring 12 points on 5/6 shooting from the field. The Knicks PF also showed that he was hard at work improving his game in the offseason, as he knocked down both his attempts from behind the arc.
Douglas, who often played off the ball in a scoring guard role, provided a key third scoring option in the opening 24 minutes. Douglas scored 11 points on 5/8 shooting and dished out two assists for the Knicks.
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