Carmelo Anthony has scored 25 points as the New York Knicks salvaged the finale of a tumultuous five-game NBA homestand by defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90.
With Latrell Sprewell and a number of other former Knicks in attendance two days after Charles Oakley was banned, the Knicks pulled out a defensive performance from their past, limiting the Spurs to 36 per cent shooting on Sunday (Monday AEDT)
That came two nights after the Knicks yielded 131 points in a dismal defensive performance against Denver, which came after losses to Cleveland and both Los Angeles teams to start the homestand.
Anthony's relationship with Phil Jackson and resulting trade rumours were a constant throughout the homestand, though the fallout from Oakley's arrest after an altercation with security guards last Wednesday became the bigger story.
Those overshadowed the losing streak that sent the Knicks tumbling to 12th place in the Eastern Conference.
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Kawhi Leonard had 36 points for the Spurs (41-13), who had their two-game win streak snapped and failed in their first attempt to secure what would have been an NBA-record 20th consecutive winning season.
Australia's Patty Mills scored eight points and had one rebound, two assists and two steals for the Spurs.
In Minneapolis, Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 to help the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the severely short-handed Chicago Bulls 117-89.
The Bulls were missing Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, Nikola Mirotic and Paul Zipser with injuries.
