Carmelo Anthony throws up the salute as Donte DiVincenzo's dagger caps wild Knicks comeback
Throughout his NBA career, Carmelo Anthony is known for pulling off electric clutch buckets, especially when wearing a New York Knicks jersey. Following Donte DiVincenzo's gutsy three-point game-winner on Monday night's 104-101 Game 2 victory, Anthony gave his stamp of approval by reposting the shot on X with a salute emoji to boot.
Initially, the Knicks were down five points with just 47 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. However, Jalen Brunson was able to trim the deficit to just two points after converting a three-point shot that bounced its way to the rim.
After some defensive pressure from Josh Hart and the Knicks, the ball ended up in DiVincenzo's hands, but his three-point attempt missed. However, it would be secured by Isaiah Hartenstein's hands, who made the right decision to kick it back out to DiVincenzo, leading to the timely basket that gave New York the one-point lead.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey missed a shot at the other end, leading to two-game-clinching free throws from OG Anunoby. It was a surreal finish for the New York Knicks as they took a 2-0 series lead heading to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.
For someone like Carmelo Anthony, who is no stranger to being the source of the Madison Square Garden rocking out in excitement, it's a great sign to see the 10-time NBA All-Star giving credit to Donte DiVincenzo.
Carmelo Anthony believes he would have been an ideal fit for the current New York Knicks team
Speaking on the "7PM in Brooklyn Podcast with Carmelo Anthony and The Kid Mero," the former Knicks star believes that he would make a great fit on the current New York roster.
"... I've always needed somebody like Andre Miller or Chauncey Billups," Anthony said. "... I've also needed a strong power forward like Kenyon Martin. I just like how the Knicks' roster is put together. They have a lead guard who can lead, so it takes it off of me to do everything, and I can just be prime Melo."
He argued that he didn't have a proper floor general like Jalen Brunson, who would have been possible if he had Andre Miller or Chauncey Billups, who would help him get shots easier at the offensive end.
Additionally, he also envisioned his utilization being maximized properly if he played with a strong power forward such as Kenyon Martin, which the Knicks have in their roster in Julius Randle, who remains out of the NBA Playoffs due to right shoulder injury.
Looking at today's New York Knicks, a reliable scoring option at the small forward position could prove vital to the team's offensive process. Moreover, the presence of Carmelo Anthony could also aid Jalen Brunson in getting some of the defensive attention off his back.