With Anthony, Knicks cut the losing streak, beat Suns 102-84

#Knicks up, 58-40, at the half! #NYKvsPHX … @carmeloanthony: 13p/6r/6a/3s @arron4afflalo: 12p

A photo posted by New York Knicks 🏀 (@nyknicks) on Jan 29, 2016 at 5:45pm PST

The Knicks were 0-4 in the last four games and were in a desperate need for a win in order to avoid reaching their first 5 games losing streak. But with Carmelo Anthony back in the lineup the mission got easier.

The Knicks went hard on the Suns from the start of the game, had had a run of 9-0, then another one of 10-0 and from then on, all they did was holding the lead.

“I told them let’s not play with this game. Get after it right from the jump. Get after it. That was the mindset.”

 – Carmelo Anthony

After missing the previous two games, Anthony returned and scored 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, had 4 steals and sat throughout the fourth quarter.

Kristaps Porzingis had 7 and 7 but played only 23 minutes. Except him, all the rest of the starters finished in double figures. Arron Afflalo had 17, Robin Lopez 13 and Langston Galloway, replacing Jose Calderon in the lineup (dealing with injury and trade rumors), scored 11 points, had 7 rebounds and sent 5 assists.

Derrick Williams added 10 points and 8 rebounds off the bench while Sasha Vujacic, reactivated in Toronto, scored 7 points including a 3 point buzzer beater.

Passing the Suns test with ease, the Knicks bounced back to 23-26 but will take their toughest exam on Sunday when they host Stephen Curry’s 42-4 Golden State Warriors.