NEW YORK _ It's hard to say what will happen if Joakim Noah ever gets fully healthy, finds his legs and starts playing like the player the Knicks thought he was going to be when they signed him to a $72 million contract this past summer.
After missing four of his last eight games, Noah was back in the starting lineup for the Knicks on Sunday night. And though his statistics and foul shooting were again dreadful, Noah did manage to do a decent job of getting into big man DeMarcus Cousins head in crunch time as the Knicks held on to defeat the Kings, 106-98, at Madison Square Garden.
Cousins finished the game with 36 points and shot 9 for 30 with five rebounds but missed his last four shots of the game and got into a shoving match with Noah underneath the basket that resulted in both players being assessed with a double technical with 7:54 left.
In the meantime, the Knicks, who had given 18 straight points in the third quarter, were saved by Carmelo Anthony. Anthony hit two huge shots in the final four minutes, including a 3-pointer with 3:24 left that made the score 99-94 and gave the Knicks control of the game for good.
Anthony finished the game with 20 points and shot 8-for-20. Derrick Rose also scored 20 points, had six rebounds and six assists. Kristaps Porzingis also drew a lot of duty guarding Cousins and finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Noah grabbed eight rebounds scored just two points and was 0-for-4 from the free throw line.
The Knicks (11-9) have won three straight. They've also won 8 of their last 11 games giving them the best record in the Eastern Conference during that stretch. The Kings (7-13) have lost three straight.
"I think with our guys, competitors they all want to be out there," Hornacek said before the game about the team coming together. "You're trying to get the feel for which guys work well together. I think we've seen all year our bench group has done really well. I think we feel confident with those guys that they're going to move the ball and get something good. The front line guys, I think we're getting pretty good and understanding where they like the ball."
The Knicks dominated early, and Rose was a big reason why. The Knicks point guard hit eight of his first 10 shots, scoring 18 points as the Knicks took a 21-point lead in the second quarter and led by as many as 19 points with 6:51 left in the third.
The Kings, a team that is mainly Cousins surrounded by role players, new before the game they were going to have a tough time with Rose.
"He looks good," coach Dave Joerger said before the game. "I like his body. I think he's carrying a little less weight, not that he's ever heavy. As you get older if you can, if you can get learner it's easier on your joints. ... It looks like he's got that step again. I think it's exciting time with him."
The Kings are really a one-man show, and that one man just doesn't seem to get it done consistently enough to make the Kings a watchable team.
