Anthony scores 39, Knicks top Magic in OT

NEW YORK (AP):

Carmelo Anthony seemed caught up in the panic surrounding the New York Knicks when he declared their game on Monday night was "almost a must-win".

Then he stayed calm when he missed a potential game-winner and the Knicks let the Orlando Magic lose their poise in overtime.

Anthony scored 39 points, his best effort since coming to New York, and the Knicks pulled out a 113-106 overtime victory to snap a six-game losing streak.

Hours after placing elevated importance on the game, Anthony added 10 rebounds and the Knicks got some help when Dwight Howard fouled out in the extra session, then picked up his NBA-leading 17th technical foul.

"I said that. That's how I felt, that's how we felt as a team, that it was a must-win for us," Anthony said. "We, as a team, backed it up tonight."

Amare Stoudemire had 20 points for the Knicks, who won for just the second time in 11 games and inched closer to their first play-off berth since 2004.

The Knicks improved to 8-12 since acquiring Anthony from Denver. Though the questions about the deal have grown louder as the Knicks struggle, the All-Star forward showed why the team wanted him by scoring 33 points after half-time.

"Carmelo helped, he was on fire out there." Stoudemire said. "They had no answer for him and then we played great defensively, we got after it, chasing down loose balls, really, really showing the effort to want to win and it showed tonight."

Howard rebounded from a quiet first half to finish with 29 points and 18 rebounds, but Orlando didn't score after he picked up his sixth foul going for a rebound with 1:17 remaining in a two-point game, then tossed the ball into the backcourt after the whistle.

"There's nothing you can do about it now. I just went for the rebound," Howard said.

"I think that should have been a delay of game," he added of the tech. "Every time you roll the ball down the court, they usually call a delay of game, but it's cool, you know. I'll try to get it rescinded. If not, I'll just have to continue to play."

76ers 97, Bulls 85

IN CHICAGO: Thaddeus Young scored 21 points and the Philadelphia 76ers built a 23-point lead and held on, beating the Chicago Bulls and ending their 14-game home winning streak.

Chicago, losing for only the second time in their last 14 games overall, got 31 points from Derrick Rose, who also had 10 turnovers. The Bulls still own the best record in the East, leading by two games over the Celtics and Heat. Boston lost to Indiana on Monday night and Miami were idle.

Bobcats 87, Bucks 86

IN CHARLOTTE, North Carolina: Gerald Henderson scored the final seven points, including the go-ahead jumper with 22 seconds left and the short-handed Charlotte Bobcats staged an unlikely comeback to beat the mistake-prone Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.

Starting with no available centres before losing their top two point guards to injuries, the Bobcats remained in play-off contention after Brandon Jennings missed two layups and a three-pointer in the final 15 seconds that would have put the Bucks ahead.

Stephen Jackson scored 18 points for the Bobcats, who held Milwaukee scoreless over the final 3:52.

Jennings and Andrew Bogut had 26 points apiece for the Bucks, who lost their second straight and continued an alarming trend of blowing fourth-quarter leads.

Pacers 107, Celtics 100

IN INDIANAPOLIS: Roy Hibbert scored 26 points as the Indiana Pacers beat the Boston Celtics and remained in sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference play-off race.

Boston point guard Rajon Rondo started after missing Sunday's game against Minnesota with a jammed finger on his right hand. Coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Rondo would not play, but Rondo scored 10 points in the first 5:10 and finished with 22 points and eight assists. Paul Pierce led Boston with 23 points.

Trail Blazers 100, Spurs 92

IN SAN ANTONIO: Andre Miller scored 26 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the slumping and banged-up San Antonio Spurs, as Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan sat out with injuries.

The Blazers beat the NBA's winningest team for the second time in three days.

George Hill had 27 points for the Spurs, who have lost four in row, their longest slide this season.

Wizards 100, Jazz 95, OT

IN SALT LAKE CITY: Rookie John Wall scored 28 points and Jordan Crawford hit a key shot at the end of regulation and then made two steals in overtime to lead the Washington Wizards to only their second road win.

Crawford finished with 25 points, including eight in the fourth quarter and the tying shot with 4.4 seconds left in regulation. Maurice Evans scored seven of his 12 points in overtime for the Wizards, who were without five players because of injury.