NBA playoffs: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks down Celtics

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">NEW YORK — <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/carmelo-anthony/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Carmelo Anthony</a> scored 36 points, and the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/new-york-knicks/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">New York Knicks</a> beat the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/boston-celtics/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Boston Celtics</a> 85-78 on Saturday in their playoff opener.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">After knocking the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/boston-celtics/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Celtics</a> from the top of the Atlantic Division, the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/new-york-knicks/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Knicks</a> took the first step to knocking them out of the playoffs by holding Boston to three baskets and eight points in the final period.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/carmelo-anthony/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Anthony</a>, the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/nba/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">NBA</a>’s scoring leader, shot only 13 for 29 from the field but scored eight points in the fourth quarter, including consecutive baskets late in the period that finally gave the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/new-york-knicks/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Knicks</a> breathing room in a tight game.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Game 2 is Tuesday night before the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/boston-celtics/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Celtics</a> host Game 3 on Friday in what will be their first home game since <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/boston-marathon/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">the Boston Marathon</a> bombings.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/jeff-green/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Jeff Green</a> scored 26 points and <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/paul-pierce/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Paul Pierce</a> added 21 for the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/boston-celtics/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Celtics</a>, who badly missed injured point guard <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/rajon-rondo/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Rajon Rondo</a>, committing 21 turnovers that led to 20 points. The <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/new-york-knicks/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Knicks</a> got their hands on the ball at will in the fourth quarter, when Boston shot 3 of 11.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/kevin-garnett/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Kevin Garnett</a> had eight points and nine rebounds but shot only 4 of 12 from the field. <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/jason-terry/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Jason Terry</a>, another veteran on a </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and guard Jason Kidd, right, react in the final moments of the fourth quarter of Game 1 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2013. The Knicks won 85-78. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)" src="http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2013/04/21/celtics-knicks-basket_lanc_s160x169.jpg?7e15846e1fc8e67ccfbc73ab387a445995b4eb81" /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">young <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/boston-celtics/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Celtics</a> team, missed all five shots off the bench.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">CLIPPERS 112, GRIZZLIES 91</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">LOS ANGELES (AP) — <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/chris-paul/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Chris Paul</a> led seven players in double figures with 23 points, <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/eric-bledsoe/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Eric Bledsoe</a> had 15 and the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/los-angeles-clippers/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Clippers</a> beat the <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/memphis-grizzlies/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Grizzlies</a> while getting just one dunk in their playoff opener.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/chauncey-billups/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Chauncey Billups</a> scored 14 points, and <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/caron-butler/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Caron Butler</a> and <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/jamal-crawford/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Jamal Crawford</a> had 13 apiece on a night when <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/blake-griffin/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blake Griffin</a> was held to 10 points and five rebounds before fouling out with 3:32 left as Lob City was grounded.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Reserve Jerryd Bayless led the Grizzlies with 19 points, <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/marc-gasol/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Marc Gasol</a> had 16 and <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/zach-randolph/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Zach Randolph</a> had 13 points and four rebounds while playing with five fouls in the rematch of last year’s first-round series, won by the Clippers in seven games. Bayless was one of four Grizzlies with four fouls.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Game 2 is Monday night at <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/staples-center/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Staples Center</a>.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Memphis closed within a point early in the fourth on a 3-pointer by former Clipper Keyon Dooling. Los Angeles answered with a 15-3 run to go up 92-79, equaling the 13-point lead it had in the first half. <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/eric-bledsoe/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Eric Bledsoe</a>, who had seven points, opened and closed the spurt with layups as the reserves played an important role in the key stretch.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">NUGGETS 97, WARRIORS 95</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">DENVER (AP) — <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/andre-miller/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Andre Miller</a> scored a playoff career-high 28 points and sank a nifty layup with 1.3 seconds left that lifted the Nuggets to the win in Game 1 against the Warriors.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/andre-miller/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Miller</a> drove left past rookie Draymond Green, did an up-and-under between two defenders under the basket and banked the ball off the glass with his right hand.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Golden State inbounded the ball and Stephen Curry’s desperation 3-pointer wasn’t anywhere close as the horn sounded and Denver celebrated its 24th straight win at the Pepsi Center.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/andre-miller/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">Miller</a> scored 18 in the frenetic fourth quarter.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Game 2 is Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center, where the Nuggets posted an <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/nba/" style="color: #164a6e; padding: 2px 2px 2px 0px; text-decoration: none;">NBA</a>-best 38-3 home record during the season.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">NETS 106, BULLS 89</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">NEW YORK (AP) — Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and the Nets turned the Brooklyn blackout into a blowout.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Williams scored 22 points, Lopez had 21 and the Nets ripped apart the Bulls’ vaunted defense with a spectacular second quarter, when they made 16 of 20 shots.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Joe Johnson finished with 16 for the Nets, who made their successful first season in Brooklyn even better with a victory in their first playoff appearance since 2007. They will host Game 2 on Monday night.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">The Nets wore their road black uniforms and fans were encouraged to wear black as well to make it a “blackout” for the first major postseason game in Brooklyn since Oct. 10, 1956, when the Yankees beat the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series at Ebbets Field.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px;">Carlos Boozer had 25 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who had Joakim Noah in the starting lineup despite foot pain. But he was clearly limited, and there was no reason to play him more than the 14 minutes he got with the game never in doubt after halftime.</div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><br /></span></div>

NBA NBA playoffs: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks down Celtics

NEW YORK —  Carmelo Anthony  scored 36 points, and the  New York Knicks  beat the  Boston Celtics  85-78 on Saturday in their playoff opener...

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