All it took was 48 minutes of basketball to remind everyone how great the NBA can be. In the first game of the lockout-delayed 2011-2012 season, the New York Knicks showed some of the resolve that they lacked at times last season, as they rallied from an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to pull out the 106-104 victory.
After battling foul trouble throughout the first three quarters, Carmelo Anthony was simply spectacular in leading the Knicks to victory. Anthony netted a game-high 37 points on 10/17 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds for the Knicks. Anthony hit what proved to be the game-winning free-throws with just 16.5 seconds left and was unguardable down the stretch.
Amare Stoudemire and Toney Douglas complimented Anthony on the offensive end for the Knicks. Stoudemire finished with 21 points on 8/11 shooting and pulled down six boards. Douglas delivered a strong performance from the perimeter, netting 19 points and dishing out a team-high four assists. The Knicks did receive some bad news when Iman Shumpert sprained his MCL late in the third quarter. Shumpert scored 11 points in his NBA debut.
The Knicks return to action on December 28 when they travel to the Bay Area to face the Golden St. Warriors. Be sure to stay tuned to SB Nation NBA for all of the Christmas Day coverage.