Knicks hold Melo scoreless in 2nd half of long-awaited MSG return

Carmelo Anthony's first trip back to Madison Square Garden looked to get off on the right foot.

The Oklahoma City Thunder forward converted a 3-pointer less than a minute in to open the scoring for the visiting side, and it looked as if returning home to MSG would reignite his missing scoring touch.

That optimism lasted just two quarters, however, as Anthony failed to score a single point in the second half and ended the night with 12 points and five rebounds, as the Knicks easily held on down the stretch to win 111-96.

Anthony's shot selection didn't help - the New York City native unsuccessfully relied on several long-two attempts throughout the night on his way to finishing 5-of-18 from the floor.

(Courtesy: NBA Stats)

For comparison's sake, erratic Knicks forward Michael Beasley attempted the same number of field goals as Anthony (18), though Beasley finished with a game-high 30 points.