The persistent question permeating the fervor over Jeremy Lin has been "can Carmelo Anthony play with him?" After one game, the jury's still out, but the results weren't good. The New York Knicks had no answer for Deron Williams, who scored 38 points to go with six assists despite foul trouble keeping him out most of the fourth quarter and leading to an early seat on the bench. It didn't matter, as his contribution was enough for the New Jersey Nets to win, 100-92, at Madison Square Garden.
Nets Vs. Knicks: The Carmelo Anthony-Jeremy Lin Era Begins With Loss, 100-92, To New Jersey
Williams unleashed a barrage of three-point shooting in the third quarter, including a personal 10-1 run that included a four-point play. The Knicks began making a run in the fourth quarter, but cold shooting and the Nets' stout defense and rebounding made that proposition impossible. Of course, Anthony's ice-cold shooting (4-11, 11 points) and one of Jeremy Lin's quietest games in his run as a starter (21 points on 7-18 shooting, nine assists and seven rebounds) didn't help matters, nor did Tyson Chandler's first-half foul trouble.
Williams said after the game to the YES Network’s sideline reporter, Jessica Taff, that he was frankly tired of all the media coverage of Linsanity, and he was on a mission to remind everyone that, given some scouting material, he could more than hold his own against the NBA’s newest star.
“Asking more questions about him than us at shootaround, it was bothering us and we took it personal,” Williams said. If it weren’t for the fouls, he might have gone for 50.
It's important to note that Baron Davis got his first action as a Knick in this one, but played just 9 minutes, 40 seconds and making just one shot, a three-pointer.
For more on these two teams, visit Knicks blog Posting and Toasting and Nets Daily. Also be sure to check out SB Nation New York and our very own Lin stream.
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