NEW ORLEANS — Carmelo Anthony has found a home in the Big Easy.
Three days after he lit up Smoothie King Center with a record-breaking 30-point night in the All-Star Game, he donned a Knicks uniform and ripped through the Pelicans with a 42-point bonanza that lifted the Knicks to a 98-91 victory Wednesday night.
Anthony carried the Knicks home in the final two minutes with three straight big buckets — something he hasn’t done much of during this disastrous season.
It was a much-needed win for the Knicks, who remained 3 ½ games behind the eighth-place Bobcats. The Knicks (21-33), who blew a fourth-quarter lead in Tuesday’s 98-93 loss to the Grizzlies, continue their four-game trip in Orlando Friday.
“It was a game I didn’t want to see slip away,’’ said Anthony, who shot 16 of 29 and had three steals. “We were going back and forth. Then we pulled away with it.’’
Coach Mike Woodson noted it has been all too rare the Knicks have taken command in the final two minutes.
“There have been about 13 games where we had leads coming down the stretch, and we couldn’t close out,” Woodson said. “That’s been frustrating because if we closed half of them, we’d be in a better position than we are right now. We have to put forth the effort from the defensive standpoint like we did tonight. To hold this team to 91 points was quite an effort.’’
But the win didn’t come without a price. Shooting guard Iman Shumpert, the subject of trade rumors as Thursday’s deadline approaches, suffered a sprained left knee in the third quarter. He will be sent back to New York for an MRI.
Anthony canned just two 3-pointers — unlike the record eight he drained as member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. But he was great from mid-range in the final 1:40, schooling former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis on the game’s biggest bucket.
The Knicks, who lost an 83-70 lead earlier in the fourth quarter, took the lead when Tyson Chandler alertly saved the possession after an Anthony airball, keeping the ball alive. Anthony grabbed the loose ball and scored on a layup to put the Knicks in the lead, 92-91, with 1:38 left.
Anthony made sure they didn’t relinquish it like in Memphis. In his biggest shot, he drove on Davis, got in the lane, pulled up and fired in the 11-footer, giving the Knicks a 94-91 bulge with 1:03 left.
“My thing was to create a little bit of space from AD because he’s so long and covers so much space and see the rim a little bit,’’ Anthony said.
Anthony then went at Pelicans forward Luke Babbit on a similar play on the next possession. He drove, stopped in the lane and pumped in a 10-footer for a 96-91 lead with 40.4 seconds to go.
J.R. Smith, in his second game wearing a mask because of a fractured cheekbone, poured in 19 points and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. added 16. Raymond Felton had eight assists and seven rebounds.
“We were focused tonight and made the plays we needed to make,’’ Chandler said. “We learned from last night and played much calmer.’’