Rajon Rondo’s assists record continue strectching into 23rd straight games with double-digits assists but Boston Celtics failed to beat the host New York Knicks Tuesday game 110-118 at Madison Square Garden.
Carmelo Anthony led the New York Knicks with his second career triple-double 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and good enough that his supporting cast contributed much to beat the Atlantic Division leader Boston Celtics, where J.R Smith notched a season-high of 25 points and Steve Novak make a career-high with his 25 points.
“I had nine and nine before. I been missing it throughout my whole career but tonight coming in a game like this, it wasn’t me. It was Novak and J.R. and them guys making their shots. If they wouldn’t have made the shots, then I wouldn’t have had the triple-double.” Carmelo Anthony said.
“When you got two guys who can come in and make shots that puts a lot of pressure on opposing teams. I need J.R. to be a guy that comes in off the bench and scores buckets and Novak as well.” New YorkKnicks head coach Mike Woodson
“‘Melo I think now is settling in. He’s playing like we all thought he could play. It’s beautiful to watch him play because he’s doing a lot of things on both sides of the floor. He’s making players around him better and it’s helping us win and that’s what the good players do.” Woodson added.
New York Knicks surprised the visiting Boston Celtics with their 3-points assault and tied NBA record on 3s. Steve Novak makes eight 3s in the highest-scoring game of his career and J.R Smith made seven of his 3s in the first half, tying a team record.
“We didn’t defend the 3 at all tonight,” Paul Pierce said. “We dug ourselves a huge hole that we couldn’t climb out of.”
“We panicked,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “We trapped too early. We were doing things that we shouldn’t have done. It happens. We talked about it at halftime. I thought we were better at it and then we did it again in the fourth quarter out of nowhere. Good lesson though. I told our guys it was a really good lesson for us: Don’t overreact to one great player and I thought we did that.”
