New York Knicks: Who Stepped Up Against The Sacramento Kings?

Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony may not have hit his third game-winner of the 2016-17 NBA regular season, but he was clutch. He hit a huge 3-point field goal to extend New York’s lead from two to five with 3:24 remaining and scored another three points in the final 35 seconds to secure the win.

When Anthony shoots the 3-ball well and thrives in the clutch, the Knicks have a chance to defeat any and every team in the NBA.

Anthony finished with a quality 20 points, four rebounds, and one assist during his team-high 36 minutes of playing time. He shot 8-of-20 from the field, 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, and 1-of-2 from the free throw line.

New York improves to 9-4 when Anthony scores at least 20 points and 2-5 when he fails to reach the 20-point plateau.

The fact that Anthony is consistently stepping up in the clutch is a sign that he’s getting back to being the ‘Melo of old. He’s letting it fly in clutch moments, with the most appealing aspect of his performance against Sacramento being that he was willing to work off-ball in such scenarios.

As the Knicks continue to win games, Anthony appears to be settling into his role as the closer for a team with high expectations and aspirations.