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'Melo goes for encore performance as Knicks host Lakers

Jan 26, 2014 - 12:49 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Talk about leaving the fans wanting more.

Carmelo Anthony will literally shoot for an encore performance when the New York Knicks resume an eight-game homestand Sunday afternoon versus the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden.

Anthony lit up the Charlotte Bobcats for a franchise-record, MSG-record and career-best 62 points on 23-of-35 shooting in Friday's 125-96 victory. He drained 6-of-11 3-pointers and sank all 10 of his foul shots to surpass Bernard King's previous club standard of 60 points set on Christmas Day of 1984 versus the New Jersey Nets.

"It was just one of those zones you go into," said Anthony, who set the tone with 20 points in the first quarter and 37 in the opening half. "Only a certain group of people know what that zone feels like."

It was the highest point total in the NBA since Kobe Bryant poured in 65 in a Lakers' win over Portland on March 16, 2007. Bryant also had held the record at the existing MSG, a 61-point display against the Knicks on Feb. 2, 2009.

"That was the best performance the Garden has ever seen. I'm just glad a Knick has that record again," Knicks center Tyson Chandler said.

Anthony, who is second in the NBA with 27.0 points per game, helped the Knicks halt a five-game slide and improve to 1-3 on the homestand. He has scored 20- plus points in each of the last seven games, posting an average of 31.3 ppg in that stretch.

J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton scored 14 and 11 points, respectively, for New York, which had lost three straight at home and is 8-15 at MSG this season.

The Knicks went 4-4 on an eight-game stay back in December of 1986 and still have the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat to host. Andrea Bargnani is out indefinitely with a torn elbow ligament and Metta World Peace is probable due to a strained left knee. World Peace hasn't played since Dec. 27 versus Toronto.

Los Angeles will close out its seven-game Grammy road trip Sunday and is 2-4 on the trek. It has lost three in a row and 15 of the last 18 games, including Friday's 114-105 setback at Orlando.

Pau Gasol scored 21 points with 11 rebounds, while Kendall Marshall had 19 points and 14 assists for the Lakers, who are 8-17 away from home and received 17 points from Jodie Meeks. Nick Young and Ryan Kelly scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, for L.A., which made 45.6 percent of its shots and 12-of-22 from 3-point range. Marshall was 5-of-7 from downtown.

"I thought we ran out of gas," said Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni. "The guys wanted to do it, but they didn't have the legs. It just happened. We gotta move forward. We have to be a little smarter on how we contest shots."

Los Angeles was able to get within five points in the fourth quarter before succumbing to the Magic.

On the bright side, Marshall is averaging 12.1 points and 11.9 assists in his 12 starts and the Lakers have scored 100 or more points in their last seven games and nine times in 12 games this month.

After the Lakers visit the Knicks, they will head home for back-to-back games versus Indiana and Charlotte at Staples Center.

Los Angeles and New York split a pair of meetings last season with each team holding serve as the host. The Lakers are 13-4 in the last 17 games in this series, but have lost two in a row at Madison Square Garden.