Bernard King
WELL, SHOOT! Knicks legend Bernard King, who a source says will be selected to the Hall of Fame tomorrow, loves the way Carmelo Anthony (above) has played during his three-game streak of 40-plus points — which Melo will try to extend today at Oklahoma City. (N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg (2))
OKLAHOMA CITY — Bernard King is watching with pride and awe as Carmelo Anthony’s record-setting exploits unfold. Tomorrow, King officially will be named a Hall of Famer, as reported by The Post on Friday.
Despite his own honor, King couldn’t have been prouder of Anthony, who came to New York announcing King was his boyhood idol, and is living up to that scoring legacy.
Today against the Thunder, in the biggest test to the Knicks’ 11-game winning streak, a raging-hot Anthony and Kevin Durant will go mano-a-mano. They are battling for the scoring title, with Durant in the lead and holding the tiniest edge, one-tenth of a point: 28.4 to 28.3.
Anthony, for all his prodigious scoring exploits, never has won the scoring title. Durant never has had three straight games of 40 or more points.
Anthony tied King’s Knicks’ record of three straight games of 40 or more points in Friday’s 101-83 win over the Bucks and will look to break it today. He posted 50, 40 and 41 points on the Heat, Hawks and Bucks, respectively.
“Melo is playing the best basketball of any player in the NBA,’’ King told The Post. “He’s the best scorer in the league. He’s playing phenomenally. There’s nothing you’re going to do defensively that’s going to stop him. He can handle, shoot, pass rebound, penetrate. He can put the ball on the floor and handle the ball in transition. He can post up down low. He’s very difficult to prepare for.
“I’ve enjoyed watching him. I was hoping he would break my record [Friday].’’
King still holds the distinction of having back-to-back 50-point games for the Knicks — on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 1984. Anthony had the chance to match him in Atlanta on Friday, with King watching. Anthony rang up 36 after three quarters before asking coach Mike Woodson for extra rest in the fourth. When he re-entered the game, Anthony passed instead of forcing shots, and it keyed the victory.
“It was rooting for him to score 50 and 51,’’ King said.
During the three-game rampage, Anthony has averaged 43.7 points on 64.2-percent shooting, along with 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 turnovers. Anthony is the fourth NBA player to have three straight games of 40 or more points in which he shot 60 percent. He also leads the league with eight games of 40 or more points this season.
King is impressed Anthony has lived up to the hype.
“To do it in Madison Square Garden in New York City for one of the best-known franchises in the world, that’s special,’’ King said. “There are lot of high-profile athletes that come to New York and they tend to underperform because of the pressure of New York. With Carmelo, he relishes being on center stage. There’s a special beauty playing in New York in front of the most knowledgeable basketball fans. He’s welcomed it and relished the pressure.’’
King sees a lot of stylistic similarities in their offensive games, except he admits Anthony is a significantly better 3-point shooter.
“That wasn’t in my skill set,’’ King said. “I believe there are certain similarities. Melo shared with me he used to watch my game tapes. Some of the moves he executes are similar. When he raises the ball over his shoulders straight up, it’s something I used to do. It really puts the defender at your mercy once you bring it all the way down, in many ways.’’
Anthony hasn’t always earned the designation as a smart player. But King couldn’t disagree more.
“Carmelo has a very high basketball IQ,’’ King said. “Self-analyzing myself, that was one of my attributes. That means true understanding of the game. You know how to execute strategy, know how to score. I know what the defense was going to do. There’s only five ways you can defend someone at the wing. Melo understands the game.’’
It’s one thing to hear “M-V-P’’ chants for Anthony at the Garden. King couldn’t believe what he heard in Atlanta.
“I was stunned by that,’’ King said of the booming “M-V-P” chants at Philips Arena. “I had never seen in all my basketball years fans chanting ‘M-V-P’ for the opposing team’s player as they did for Carmelo.’’
King said he couldn’t comment on The Post’s story he will be named a Hall of Fame inductee tomorrow, but it is obvious he believes Anthony won’t be far behind after he retires.
“He’s playing the best basketball of his life,” King said, noting Anthony’s improved 3-point shot. “What Anthony has done obviously in the offseason, he’s worked on his game. Each year he comes back a better player. And he won’t stop. He’s only going to get better.’’