Carmelo Anthony set a Knicks record for 30 straight consecutive 20-point games, but Wednesday night wasn’t about Melo.
This was about their $54 million big-man triumverate of Anthony-Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler looking for the first time like a three-headed scoring monster.
Chandler and Stoudemire prospered in the paint, combining for 35 points to lead a balanced attack in last night’s 113-97 victory over the Magic at the Garden.
This was hardly a one-man show starring Anthony as it has been lately. Stoudemire, a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, and Chandler, 10-for-11, were beasts around the rim. The Knicks (28-15) showed the balance coach Mike Woodson has sought with six players in double figures — and they didn’t even have Jason Kidd (back).
Chandler finished with 21 points, Stoudemire had 14 and Anthony 20. Raymond Felton, off a fiery first quarter, added 15 points. Backup point guard Pablo Prigioni and J.R. Smith each had 11.
Though Woodson has no plans to start the trio, Anthony, Stoudemire and Chandler were on the court in the third quarter when they pulled away after being tied, 51-51, at halftime.
“As that lineup plays together, they will be more comfortable,” Woodson said. “I thought they played great off one another.”
Woodson had a talk with Chandler Tuesday, and told him he wasn’t setting his picks sharp enough. Woodson also said he wanted him to be more aggressive offensively.
Since being named to his first All-Star team last week, Woodson noticed Chandler has not been playing as effectively.
“He told me to demand the ball more and I took his advice,” said Chandler, who scored on the second possession on an alley-oop lob from Felton.
Meanwhile, Stoudemire continues to excel on post moves after his summer work with Hakeem Olajuwon. After he scored four straight inside buckets in the second half, he exited the game with 6:55 left to a standing ovation.
“It’s night and day,” Anthony said of Stoudemire’s inside game. “You can see the work he’s put in. Tyson and Amar’e have been finding one another. Amar’e has been playing well off me.
“At the end of the day, us three are definitely the key pieces of the team. We’re definitely going to be out there on the court when it counts.”
Anthony still got his 20 points to set a franchise record that stood for more than 50 years. It was the 30th straight game Anthony has hit the 20-point mark to break Richie Guerin’s mark of 29 in 1961-62.
“Any record you have a chance to go get or break, that is the fun part,” Anthony said. “Tonight was my chance to break the record. Records are meant to be broken.”
A 3-pointer with 6:10 left, and the game all but out of reach, got him to 20. This was a night in which Anthony faced a constant double team from the Magic, but he dished and didn’t force.
“He’s an MVP, no matter how you slice it,’’ Woodson said. “He’s getting guys around him to play at a high level, too. He was sacrificing the ball and still got his 20 points.’’
Woodson has talked recently about utilizing the highly paid threesome more as the season progresses. Spacing has been an issue with them, but Stoudemire being sent to the block is opening up different things for Chandler.
“As that lineup plays together they will be more comfortable the way they play,’’ Woodson said. “I thought they played great off one another. STAT has become a low-post threat. When he catches the ball in there, he has produced and that is going to be huge.’’
Anthony said he always knew the trio would come around eventually.
“When I first got here, I always said it was going to take maybe two, three years,’’ Anthony said. “When the three of us are on the court, we are making things happen.’’
Defensively, the Knicks started out last night playing porous defense, just like they did Sunday against the Hawks. The Magic came out hot, as they drilled 10 of their first 13 shots. Sharpshooter J.J. Redick feasted on a rusty Iman Shumpert, starting 6-for-6 from the field, all jump shots, including two 3-pointers. He wound up with 14 points in the quarter.
The Magic backcourt — facing a Shumpert-Felton tandem — scored 22 of their first 24 points. Woodson said afterward he needs Shumpert to step up his defense and called James White’s early defense “soft.” White started at small forward with Kidd out.
“We still have a long way to go on defense,’’ Woodson said.