Pro Basketball|Carmelo Anthony Injures His Back in Knicks' Latest Loss

HOUSTON - Befitting his stature in the organization, Carmelo Anthony occupied two folding chairs on the bench in the second quarter. He sat silently with a towel draped across his shoulders, powerless to prevent the Rockets from building an early lead over the Knicks on Monday.

It was only after Anthony checked back into the game that his night got really bad. With less than two minutes remaining in the first half, Anthony doubled over at the far end of the court, in obvious discomfort. Coach Derek Fisher called for a timeout as Anthony shuffled to the locker room.

Troubled by what the team described as back spasms, Anthony missed the remainder of the Knicks' 91-86 loss at the Toyota Center. James Harden scored 36 points, including 12 straight in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, as the Rockets (11-3) knocked down an Anthony-free surge by the Knicks (4-11).

The result seemed largely inconsequential in the wake of Anthony's injury. His durability could become a concern, especially given his age (30) and the size of his new contract ($124 million). Last week, he disclosed that he had been dealing with a sore left knee. On Monday, he had 14 points and 7 rebounds in 18 minutes.

The Knicks were down by 49-38 when Anthony left the game. They promptly went on a 14-2 run without him, a stretch that bridged the second and third quarters. Their strong play extended into the fourth, as Travis Ware converted a putback before Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a 3-pointer for a 78-72 lead.

The Knicks could not sustain it. Harden sank a 3-pointer for an 85-82 lead, then tacked on six straight free throws as the Knicks went 3 minutes 15 seconds without scoring.

It was Anthony's first trip back to Houston since he visited the Rockets over the summer as part of his free-agency tour. The whole dynamic felt a bit different this time around. Gone were the images of Anthony wearing a Rockets jersey. Long forgotten was the recruiting pitch made by Dwight Howard.

Anthony, of course, chose to re-sign with the Knicks, forgoing the chance to join an instant contender. On Monday morning, with the Knicks entrenched near the basement of the Eastern Conference, Anthony was asked if he ever thought about what could have been - with the Rockets, say, or with the Dallas Mavericks, whom the Knicks will play on Wednesday night. Anthony said there was no looking back.

'I can't do that,' he said. 'I can't do that. That's just not my nature as a person. I'll never be able to sit down and ask myself, 'What if?' '

It was a notable return to Houston for another player, for altogether different reasons. Last January, J. R. Smith launched an ill-advised 3-point attempt in the closing seconds of a tie game at the Toyota Center. The Rockets' Aaron Brooks was fouled on the ensuing loose ball and sank both free throws to send the Knicks to another loss.

The memories of that debacle formed a fading backdrop for the latest meeting between the two teams, which was no less eventful.

The Knicks were facing a depleted team. The Rockets were without three starters: Howard (strained right knee), Patrick Beverley (strained left hamstring) and Terrence Jones (left leg nerve inflammation), which meant that the Knicks appeared to have an opportunity if only they could take advantage of it.

On their first three possessions, the Knicks committed two turnovers and settled for a long jumper by Quincy Acy, who missed. It was not the start they had hoped for.

There was cause for optimism, though. Jose Calderon, back in the starting lineup for the second straight game, sank his first two jump shots. On defense, the Knicks managed to make the Rockets work for open looks. The Knicks trailed by 27-26 entering the second quarter.

In a league increasingly reliant on 3-point shooting, the Rockets take the most and make the most. This appeared to be bad news for the Knicks, who are not particularly adept at defending along the perimeter. They entered Monday having allowed opponents to shoot 42.3 percent from 3-point range.

Before the game, Coach Derek Fisher cited contesting the Rockets' 3-point shots as a matter of emphasis - along with protecting the rim, limiting free-throw attempts and preventing fast-break opportunities. It was a lengthy list.

The Knicks actually did a serviceable job on defense in the first half, limiting the Rockets to 41.3 percent shooting. The problem was that the Rockets were 7 of 19 from 3-point range, which helped them build a 51-46 lead by the end of the second quarter.

Without Anthony, Fisher opted to go small. That meant opting for a three-guard lineup that featured Pablo Prigioni, Shane Larkin and Smith for much of the third quarter. Prigioni buried a 3-pointer for a 61-59 lead as the Knicks sought to push the tempo without Anthony.

REBOUNDS

Andrea Bargnani, who has yet to play in a game this season because of injuries, joined the Knicks for their three-game road trip. But Derek Fisher said it was unlikely that Bargnani would make his debut this week. 'But it was important that he still remains close to our group,' Fisher said, adding: 'We just thought that even if he wasn't able to play, he can still be one of the guys.'

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