On a cold, bleak, frigid January night in New York City, history was made! With former Knick greats such as Allan Houston, Patrick Ewing, and Larry Johnson gracing the refurbished Mecca known as Madison Square Garden, Carmelo Anthony put on a shooting clinic that will forever be considered ‘one for the ages’!
But it wasn’t only Melo’s unbelievable performance that impressed, it was the way it became contagious for a team that was having a horrid year through the first half of the season and had just finished losing their third home game in a row to the team with the 3rd worst record in the NBA, the 76ers. “I’m tired of losing”, is what the now seven time All-Star said at halftime. Carmelo didn’t have one assist in this historic game, at least not statistically, but emotionally he single-handedly lifted the spirits (and the game) of the other Knick players to a level not seen all that often this season.
Carmelo Anthony goes up for a jumper vs the Bobcats in a historic night at Madison Square Garden, January 24, 2014. Photo:, Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images
The crowd was the most electric that the Garden had witnessed in quite some time as Melo set an all-time record for most points in a game by a Knick, and the most at the current Madison Square Garden. It was also the most points (125) scored by the Knicks this season.
It was the kind of night that made all the Knick fans, the players and even the media, cease all conversations regarding the fate of coach Mike Woodson, the bickering and complaining during post-game interviews by Tyson Chandler, and even the idiotic antics of J.R. Smith not so long ago and instead was replaced with cheering, standing ovations, and chanting of “Meh-low”, Meh-low”, “Meh-low” with a couple of “MVP! MVP! MVP’s! thrown in just for good measure.
It was sheer joy (and madness) watching someone who was so much in a zone as Melo was tonight. You just didn’t want it to end. The one thing you DID want to see was Carmelo breaking the record even though by the fourth quarter he clearly was winded and was traversing the floor of the Garden with rubbery legs. It brought back some memories of that night some five years ago when Kobe Bryant put on a similar performance setting, which was then, the all-time Garden record for points scored at 61. And there was another game way back on Christmas Day in 1984 when Bernard King set the Knick record at 60 (in a losing effort 120-114 to the then N.J. Nets)) which stood until tonight, almost thirty years later.
#30 Bernard King, whose 60 points on Dec. 25, 1984 vs the N. J. Nets stood for almost 30 years, was broken by Carmelo Anthony on Jan. 24, 2014 Photo: Kostroun/AP
What is left to be determined however, is the impact that this herculean display by Melo will have going forward for a team fighting to stay alive in the playoff hunt. It doesn’t matter that as currently comprised, this team will not advance very far in the post-season should they get there, because in sports stranger things have happened. Still, until and unless Melo gets some help, it will be more of the same for some time to come..
Time will tell whether or not on this one bleak, frigid, January night when history was made, if it was the game that helped to catapult the Knickerbockers through the remaining 39 games. For those who were at the game witnessing the shattering of a record that stood for almost three decades, it was one they will not soon forget. And in this arena, which is not on Madison Avenue, nor is it square, nor even in a garden, one Carmelo Anthony poured in 62 points, electrifying a crowd, a fan base, and hopefully, even more importantly, his teammates…
Carmelo Anthon acknowledging the crowd after scoring his record setting 62nd point with 7:29 left in the fourth quarter vs the Bobcats, Jan. 24, 2014 AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
FANTASY FURNACE 
Have they forgotten who the opponents were in this game ? It’s the Bobcats , not a real legitimate contender within the East , might I add . The conference is weak and the play in general has been atrocious ! icrrtje
LikeLike
True, but the Knicks had already lost to them twice in the three times they’ve met this season. Aloso the Bobcats are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, currently sixth.
I’m sot saying that they shouldn’t have handled Charlotte with ease (especially with Kemba Walker on the bench, but other teams have played the Bobcats this year and no one was able to put up the numbers that Melo did.
Al, Melo is probably a top 20 scorer all-time but he does not know how or when to distribute the ball to his teammates, cannot play defense and is not a great leader.
The game last night, although entertaining, clearly was an anomaly and the best this team can hope for is a 7th or 8th seed and finished in the first round (if they make it to the post season).
LikeLike
Look at the points’ differential and the losses (19-26) of the Bobcats overall . That if anything has been a true reflection of this team throughout this season .
As to ‘melo , who would you want to see him hand pass the ball off to , and who can provide the Knicks with consistent scoring ?
James Dolan and GM Steve Mills are still trying to figure out what time of the day it just happens to be .
tophatal ………………
LikeLike
That’s my point. Melo not only needs another scorer he needs to be surrounded by a more talented cast of characters. You’re right, most times Melo does not have passing options. He wouldn’t need to if we could ever get a bonafide starting PG
LikeLike
Your thoughts on Team Rice vs Team Saunders in that idiotic and odious Pro Bowl game ? I hear next year , they (NFL) will be providing Don Shula and John Madden with Aricept while they ponder the choices for their respective rosters ?
LikeLike
Personally I feel that although players should be recognized for their performance on the field during the regular season, the pro-bowl game needs to lend some importance to its final score lest it remain an unwatched boring three hours of merely pomp and circumstance.
LikeLike
How that current squad of the Knicks has been assembled has been a complete joke ! Granted they have some young talent there , but herein lies the issue also , the coaching staff is actually bereft of talent and Mike Woodson just isn’t cutting it .
Knicks’ fans would rather remain apathetic , rather than discussing the real underlying issues of the organization . Other than Donnie Walsh , the front office role of general managers for the Knicks , has been filled with complete damn imbeciles ! In terms of a determined head coach , name one to come down that pike in the last decade for the franchise , that has actually done anything worthwhile ?
LikeLike
All very true statements AL. James Dolan could be one of the worst owners on the planet and Woodson’s game and the type of players currently rostered just don’t go together.
LikeLike
Unwatched boring , idiotic spectacle , whose time has past . How the NFL continues with that idiocy of a contest is simply a joke and the fact that it continues to sell itself to ridicule clearly shows how out of touch the league hierarchy and Goodell are on the issue .
:)
Listen to these idiotic comments from Roger Goodell and ex player Michael Strahan and you can understand why this league is ran by imbeciles , albeit that the NFL has revenues in excess of $8 billion annually , much of it derived from television rights’ fees .
Goodell is an @ss, are the players . How the hell can the game be competitive when the game itself are actually governed by different set of rules altogether ? Listen intently to Strahan’s comments and it sums up what the game for the players is about .
If at all interested let me know what you think as to the merits of the following ? Either of the links shown below to view and to leave a comment .
Sell it or quit
http://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/sell-it-or-quit/
tophatal …………..
LikeLike
“Eliminate the game” were the most refreshing and noteworthy words that have come out of Goodell’s mouth since he became commissioner. Now, let’s see him act on them…
LikeLike
This is what I love most about sports. That no matter what your sports affiliation, you can be all in when a great player has a game for the ages. ‘Melo threw the basketball equivalent of a perfect game for a team that needed something good to happen. Fantastic account of a great night, Fantasy Man.
LikeLike
I love the analogy comparing Melo’s night to baseball’s “perfect game”. Well put. And so true.
Thanks, as always for your very kind words..
LikeLike
Hank
Eliminate the Pro Bowl altogether and simply pay the players who have an incentive clause in their contract concerning the game . Strahan’s comments about the game being competitive , were simply asinine .
LikeLike
Hank
James Dolan is the type of owner the NBA does not need , yet the fans are made to put up with , because of the actual incompetency of the league hierarchy under David Stern . February 14th can’t come around quick enough as far as I am concerned ! That officially is meant to be the day that Sterns steps down from his post . Unfortunately , he will be succeeded by Adam Silver , a carbon-copy of the present commissioner on so many levels .
LikeLike
I must admit I don’t know enough about Adam Silver to form an opinion. Just very glad to see Stern step down.
LikeLike
Consider the following , at the end of February , both David Stern and Bud Selig from their respective roles as the commissioners of the NBA and Major League Baseball . Now if only the entire members of the US House and Senate would follow suit , as well as the present Presidential administration in its entirety . Have you witnessed as much incompetence by all of the parties concerned over the past five years ?
:)
Having Stern be replaced by Adam Silver with the incumbent dictating , as to whom his heir apparent should be , indicates that David Stern’s authority was totalitarian and dictatorial. And we wonder why the seasons in terms of the play have been so mediocre over the past five seasons ? The NBA much like the NFL has become such a bland and diluted product and the same can be said of baseball as well .
LikeLike
I hadn’t heard that Stern handpicked his own predecessor and yet I’m not at all surprised. As for the NBA and MLB the last word I would use to describe these two sports is parody! It’s the same 4-5 teams evry season or so it seems..
LikeLike
Silver has been groomed for the position for several years now . It is his time to stamp his authority on the NBA and what is now turning into a mediocre brand in terms of the play overall . The East may well be bad this season , but do not overlook the declining fortunes of several teams in the West , who up until three years ago , were considered perennial contenders or close to that mantle .
If interested dropped these pieces ?
,
http://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/a-fascinating-look-at-stupidity-or-as-i-would-like-to-say-another-day-another-idiotic-decision-by-jerry-jones-of-the-dallas-cowboys/
http://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/gladiators-in-the-arena-would-state-we-who-are-about-to-die-salute-you-todays-nba-has-no-gladiators-merely-characters-and-a-little-sc/
tophatal …………..
LikeLike