Carmelo, Knicks 'Ready' For Revenge Against Nets; Lopez Out
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Knicks have put the NBA on notice with their red-hot 15-5 start.
Now Carmelo Anthony has a message for the rival Nets, who will host New York on Tuesday night after beating Melo & Co. 96-89 in Brooklyn late last month.
"We're ready, we will be ready," Anthony said Monday, according to the New York Post. "That first game, we didn't think they did anything to beat us. We kind of beat ourselves. We have that in the back of our minds."
Knicks guard Jason Kidd missed the first game with back spasms. Back in the lineup, he'll be just another challenge for his former franchise as the Nets try to snap a four-game slide.
Kidd had 17 points and seven assists in New York's 112-106 win over the Nuggets on Sunday. It was his third straight start.
"They're looking to stop a streak and we're looking to get better," said Kidd. "We're just looking at it as for us to be complete team, we have to find a way to win on the road. That's the only thing we're looking at.''
The Nets won't have Brook Lopez back, a big factor with 22 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks in Brooklyn's Nov. 26 victory over New York.
Lopez practiced on Monday and sounded optimistic after testing his ailing right foot. Coach Avery Johnson? Not so much.
"We can't treat Brook like he is a savior, because right now the chances of him playing (Tuesday) are not very high," said Johnson. "So that's why the rest of the guys that are going to be in uniform for sure we got to play much better."
General manager Billy King confirmed Lopez was a no-go on Tuesday.
"The goal is to get him back where he's comfortable," King said. "Yesterday being his first five-on-five in about two weeks, he felt good. Today, he felt pretty good, but he's just not ready to partake in an NBA game. So we are going to pull him out."
The Knicks have won six of seven since the loss in Brooklyn. The Nets won two straight before dropping their next four.
"It would be a good win for us," said Brooklyn guard Deron Williams. "They're playing good basketball right now and we need a win in the worst way."
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