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Anthony lifts Knicks in OT, spoils Rose's return

Apr 9, 2012 - 1:03 AM New York, NY (Sports Network) - In a game of momentum changes, Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 43 and drained the go-ahead three-point shot with 8.2 seconds left in overtime, boosting New York to a 100-99 win over Chicago, spoiling the return of Bulls point guard Derrick Rose.

The Knicks blew a 21-point, first-quarter lead and then had to rally from a 10-point deficit with under four minutes left in regulation. Anthony, who shot 16-of-31 from the field and made 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, forced the extra session by nailing a long three-pointer with 11.2 seconds left.

Rose, who missed the previous 12 games due to a strained groin, had 29 points. He had a chance to give Chicago the win, but his right-handed shot from the left baseline clanked off the rim as time expired.

Before Sunday, the last game Rose played was against the Knicks on March 12. The Bulls went 8-4 in his absence. The reigning MVP, who went 8-of-26 from the floor and accounted for eight of his team's 20 turnovers, missed two key free with 19.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

"Free throws, turnovers; that's the reason why we lost the game," Rose said. "I had a lot of turnovers just getting back into rhythm."

Iman Shumpert had 15 points and nine rebounds, while Tyson Chandler had 16 boards for the Knicks, who have won two in a row and are tied with the 76ers for seventh in the Eastern Conference, a game ahead of Milwaukee.

The Knicks, who continue to play without injured starters Jeremy Lin (knee) and Amare Stoudemire (back), also received 14 points from J.R. Smith. They went just 8-of-34 from beyond the arc, but got their first win over the Bulls in three tries this season.

Carlos Boozer tallied 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Eastern Conference- leading Bulls, who have lost three of their last four games.

Rose's pull-up jumper widened Chicago's OT lead to 99-95 inside three minutes, but the Knicks got some key offensive rebounds late and were able to go ahead.

First, Anthony sank a layup with 64 seconds left. Then, in a crazy sequence, he missed a pair of attempts from in close, but the Knicks tapped the ball out to Smith, who missed a three-pointer. Chandler tapped the ball out to Anthony, who dribbled to the right wing before raising up for the go-ahead shot over Luol Deng.

"I didn't want to just go to the hole and throw something crazy up. I felt like my best shot at that time was just to pull up," said Anthony of the shot. "This was a playoff game...So this was a big statement game for us."

In a possible first-round playoff preview, the Knicks took the opener of this home-and-home series with the teams set to play in Chicago Tuesday night.

The Bulls trailed 27-6 just 8 1/2 minutes into the game and were behind by eight at the half, but the Bulls dominated most of the second half, particularly the third quarter. Rose had 14 points in the period, when the Knicks were 7-of-23 from the field.

The visitors, who trailed 9-0, tied the game at 67 on a Rose three-ball with nearly three minutes left in the third. Ronnie Brewer's jumper finally gave Chicago the lead in the final minute, and Chicago carried a 75-72 advantage into the fourth.

Rose converted a rare four-point play for an 89-80 difference and it was 91-81 following a Taj Gibson jumper with 3:45 left.

That's when the Knicks started their comeback. Smith started the spurt with a three-pointer and Anthony hit a pair of driving layups, including one with 48 seconds left, although he missed the ensuing foul shot.

Deng missed a pair of foul shots with 34.1 seconds left, and New York's Steve Novak watched as his three-point try to tie the game went three-quarters of the way down before somehow rolling off the rim.

Rose had a chance to ice the victory, but missed two from the charity stripe with 19.4 seconds left. That set up Anthony for his pull-up three-ball, 27 feet away, sending the game to OT even at 91.

Game Notes

The Knicks are a solid 11-3 since interim coach Mike Woodson took over for Mike D'Antoni...Deng had 13 points and nine rebounds...The Bulls held a 59-47 edge on the glass.