DALLAS - Carmelo Anthony made an early appearance at American Airlines Center on Wednesday night.
It was 71 minutes before the opening tip, and a few Mavericks were in their locker room reviewing game footage of the Knicks ' loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday. Up there on the television screen was Anthony, who just happened, at that point in the game, to be limping off the court with back spasms.
Anthony, deep in the throes of his convalescence two days later, did not play in the Knicks' 109-102 overtime loss to the Mavericks. And while he was at the arena, he remained away from the bench and out of public view. His status for Friday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder remained unclear.
'I just don't know how long I'll be out,' Anthony said through a team spokesman.
The Mavericks (11-5) pulled away in overtime behind Tyson Chandler, who dunked to give Dallas the lead, and Dirk Nowitzki, whose jumper effectively sealed the win in the final minute. The Knicks (4-12) committed six turnovers in overtime.
J. R. Smith hit a deep fadeaway to tie the game at 95-95 with 0.9 seconds left to force overtime.
The game itself was a reunion of sorts for several players - Chandler among them - who were involved in a trade between the Knicks and the Mavericks in June. Chandler, who has expressed disappointment at being cast as the scapegoat for some of the problems last season, finished with 17 points and 25 rebounds, both season highs.
Jose Calderon, who spent last season with the Mavericks, had his finest game for the Knicks, collecting 21 points and 10 rebounds while sinking 7 of 9 3-pointers.
Nowitzki scored 30 points for the Mavericks, who won despite shooting 4 of 31 from 3-point range.
In his comments to the team spokesman, Anthony said that he still felt stiff and could not recall a specific moment against Houston that caused the injury, adding that he had never experienced back spasms before. 'I really tried to play through it, but then I just couldn't move,' Anthony said.
Coach Derek Fisher declined to offer a timeline for Anthony's return, but said he would make the trip with the team to Oklahoma City.
On Wednesday, the Knicks led by 5 early in the fourth quarter. But without Anthony as an obvious go-to option, they searched for offense. Calderon did what he could to keep the Knicks involved, hitting consecutive 3-pointers for an 89-88 lead.
Later, after Nowitzki connected on a baseline jumper, Calderon lobbed an alley-oop to Amar'e Stoudemire, who dunked to trim the deficit to 94-93. The Knicks had a chance to go ahead in the final minute but missed at the rim and sent Devin Harris to the free throw line, where he converted 1 of 2.
The Knicks got the ball back with 7.9 seconds remaining, in time for Smith to hit his shot.
Before the game, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban participated in one of the league's more unorthodox rituals by holding an informal news conference while he worked out on a piece of stair-climbing equipment. The primary topic of conversation was Chandler, whom the Mavericks re-acquired in June as part of their multi-player deal with the Knicks. Chandler was coming off one of his poorest seasons, hindered in part by an early-season leg injury. But Cuban said he had no reservations about trading for him.
'No question in my mind - none,' Cuban said. 'I saw a spring in his step afterwards, after the injury, after he came back.'
Chandler was with the Mavericks when they won the N.B.A. championship in 2011 before he left to sign a four-year deal with the Knicks. Cuban has said that he regretted letting that happen, that Chandler had been an indispensable part of the Mavericks' title run.
To get him back, the Mavericks traded away Calderon, Shane Larkin and Samuel Dalembert, all of whom have been rotation players for the Knicks - albeit for a struggling team. Cuban also reflected on his offseason meeting with Anthony, who visited Dallas as part of his free-agency tour. Cuban said it was fairly clear to him that Anthony had no intention of signing with the Mavericks. 'He had more money from New York,' Cuban said, 'and if it wasn't an immediate, 'I'm in, let's go, let's close this thing,' chances are it's not going to happen.'
Cuban said he had never spoken with Anthony and came away impressed with his 'business demeanor.' But he also was left with the feeling that the Mavericks would be wise to pursue (and sign) Chandler Parsons, another former free agent who has been solid for the Mavericks this season.
'Anytime someone doesn't say yes to you but you're ready to close the deal - I'm from the ABC school of selling: always be closing,' Cuban said of his meeting with Anthony. 'And I didn't even think I was getting the steak knives.'
Posted by Unknown on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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