MSG, NY: The Knicks were back at the Garden after a three-game road trip. The Knicks got a welcome addition to their team with the return of Amar’e Stoudemire but he was not in the starting lineup. He has agreed to come off the bench for the time being. Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks in the 1st quarter with thirteen points.
The Garden crowd erupted when Amar’e Stoudemire came off the bench late in the 1st quarter. Stoudemire looked rusty as he was ineffective in six minutes. Late in the 2nd quarter Stoudemire returned, but he was unable to find the basket. JR Smith was the catalyst in the second quarter with twelve points in the first half.
In the 3rd quarter the Knicks’ defensive intensity picked up, cutting the Trail Blazer’s lead to three points. Amar’e finally got his first points of the season with a thunderous dunk that ignited the Garden. Portland’s sharp shooter Nicolas Batum was on fire late in the 3rd quarter: he led the Blazers with eight points in the quarter.
The Knicks started the fourth quarter out of sync. JR Smith and Carmelo Anthony both struggled to score the ball. With 5:58 left in the 4th quarter the Knicks were down by eleven points. Jason Kidd was scoreless in the quarter, missing three consecutive shots. JR finally got it going with 3:28 left in the quarter, cutting the Blazer’s lead to nine points.
Portland rookie Damian Lillard delivered the dagger with 45 seconds left in the game. Lillard scored 21 points as the Blazers defeated the Knicks 105-to-100.
Vernon McKenzie:PureSportsNY
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