IT’S GO TIME! Carmelo Anthony, who scored 29 points, drives past Austin Rivers during the first half of the Knicks’ 102-80 victory over the Hornets last night in New Orleans. (AP)
NEW ORLEANS — Maybe it’s a good thing rookie sensation Anthony Davis didn’t try to play on a bum left ankle Tuesday night. He might have been spared the embarrassment of getting torched by Carmelo Anthony in their power-forward matchup.
Anthony dominated in the low post last night, scorching through the Big Easy for 29 points in 28 minutes as the Knicks routed the young Hornets, 102-80 at New Orleans Arena.
Anthony posted a masterpiece 19-point first quarter, outscoring New Orleans by himself. He finished 12-of-22 from the field, buried two 3-pointers and hit from everywhere in the French Quarter.
Tyson Chandler called Anthony an MVP candidate before the game and afterward said, “He should be at the top of the race right now. We’re playing the best basketball, and he’s playing all over the floor on both ends.’’
The Knicks moved to 8-1 for the third time in their franchise history. The two other times they started 8-1 were their two championship seasons — 1969-70 and 1972-73.
Anthony has been lauded for his great two-way game this season, but last night it was enough for him to have his own scoring parade down Bourbon Street as he had 23 by halftime and could have had a historic night if the game was close and he played more. The Hornets (3-6), held to 32 points in the second half, have lost four straight.
“It was one of those nights, it was good to get it going early,’’ Anthony said. “Anytime you can start off on the road in the first quarter like that it give us a lot of confidence. I made a couple of shots and Ray [Felton] and Jason [Kidd] came up to me and said, ‘We’re coming to you, keep it going.’’’
The Knicks road trip continues tonight in Dallas. The Mavericks, who lost 104-94 to the Knicks on Nov. 9 at the Garden, will be missing Dirk Nowitzki again. The Dallas star is out at least another two weeks as he recovers from knee surgery.
Most of the starters, including Anthony, sat the whole fourth quarter to rest up for Mark Cuban’s team. Garbage-time specialist James White came in for Anthony late in the third.
Coach Mike Woodson said he was happy to keep everyone under 30 minutes.
“Everybody should be fresh and ready to go [tonight],’’ Woodson said.
“The good teams close the door so they can get ready for the next game,’’ said Kidd, who makes his first return to Dallas since leaving Cuban at the altar.
Felton finished with 15 points and six assists, including 5-of-6 3-pointers. (The Knicks sank 14 3-pointers on 36 attempts).
Felton’s backcourt mate Kidd was sensational, creating steals and making all the right passes. Kidd, still playing with an awkwardly placed headband to cover his seven-stitch cut, had three points, four assists, five rebounds and two steals — a stat line that didn’t do his night justice.
With Davis, the No. 1 overall pick, sitting out with a stress reaction in his left ankle, the intrigue of this game was lost. Anthony went to work early on small forward Al-Farouq Aminu, who played for Nigeria in the London Olympics when Melo set an Olympic record by scoring 37 points.
“We didn’t find out until we were about to run on the court,’’ Anthony said. “I wanted him to play. It would’ve been good to have him out there playing. He’s got to get healthy. We’ll see him at the Garden.’’
Anthony scored 19 of the Knicks’ 29 first-quarter points. He outscored the Hornets 19-17 in the quarter as the Knicks took a 29-17 lead after one. He also was 8-of-9 from the field, including two 3-pointers off quick feeds from Kidd.
During the quarter, Anthony played as good offensively in the post as he has in his Knicks career. He resembled Patrick Ewing on a series of his baskets, including a pretty post-up fadeaway jumper along the right baseline.
Injured Amar’e Stoudemire talked up the influence of Hakeem Olajuwon and his post-up tutelage, but it seems Anthony also got something out of Olajuwon’s two-week visit to the Knicks’ Westchester practice facility in September. Anthony said new shooting coach Dave Hopla also has helped, by “paying attention to the little details of my jump shot.’’
Anthony also had a superb assist in the final seconds of the first quarter when he whipped a perfect crosscourt feed to Steve Novak, who drained a 3-pointer from the right wing.
“You get him the ball and kind of get out of the way,’’ Kidd said. “He set the tempo. That’s what he’s been doing all season for us.’’
During one stretch early in the first quarter, Kidd could do no wrong either. He single-handedly willed the Knicks to a 16-10 lead.
He rebounded a miss and flung a deep football pass to Anthony for a breakaway layup. Kidd then made a steal and shoveled the ball to Anthony for a 3-pointer. Then Kidd drained an open 3-pointer to put the Knicks up early.
Anthony continued to roll in the second, scoring a tough one in the lane after three Hornets collapsed on him. Anthony dove on the floor for a loose ball and got into a minor scrap with ex-Knicks teammate Roger Mason Jr., who knocked him in the head as they scrambled for the rock.
But nothing was to deny Anthony and the Knicks on this night.