Knicks 100, Nets 97

NEW YORK -- Jason Kidd slammed his former team with a clutch 3-pointer with 24.1 seconds left, and Carmelo Anthony put on an offensive clinic, exploding for a season-high 45 points, leading the New York Knicks to a thrilling 100-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night at the Barclays Center.

The victory gave the Knicks (16-5) their seventh victory in their last eight games, while the Nets (11-9) lost for the fifth straight time after winning five in a row.

With the game tied at 97-97, Kidd, who had 18 points, all from 3-point range, calmly nailed a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining on the shot clock. Kidd, who played for the Nets in New Jersey, leading the franchise to two consecutive Eastern Conference titles, was fouled on the play by Jerry Stackhouse, but he missed the free throw, giving the Nets one last chance to tie the game.

The Nets had two 3-point shots that could have tied the game, but Gerald Wallace and Deron Williams misfired as the clock expired, giving the Knicks the victory in a game that they once trailed by 17. The margin of victory represented New York's largest lead of the game.

Anthony, who had 34 points the first time the teams met 15 days ago, connected on 15 of 24 shots from the floor, five of seven from 3-point range and 10 of 11 from the line.

Besides Anthony and Kidd, the Knicks received 16 points from J.R. Smith off the bench.

Andray Blatche paced the Nets with 23 points, and Williams added 18 points and 10 assists. Wallace had 17, and Joe Johnson scored 16. Reggie Evans had 18 rebounds for the Nets.

The two teams went toe-to-toe over the final seven minutes, electrifying a predominantly pro-Knick crowd at the Barclays Center.

The Nets took a 91-88 lead on a rebound basket by Blatche with 5:21 remaining, but the Knicks scored the next five points to move in front 93-91 with 2:45 left on a tip-in from Anthony.

The Nets blew an early 17-point lead, which is becoming an alarming trend for Brooklyn.

The Knicks trailed by four at halftime, but they scored the first five points of the second half. Raymond Felton, who shot a miserable 3-of-19 from the floor the first time the two teams met two weeks ago, hit a floater in the lane to give the Knicks their first lead of the game at 54-53 with 10:10 left in the third quarter.

But the Nets then hit two straight 3-pointers by Williams and Johnson to regain the lead at 59-57 with 8:37 left. The Nets then pushed the lead back to 10 at 72-62 on a running jumper from Johnson with 3:32 remaining in the period.

The Nets took a 79-74 lead into the final period, with Anthony having 30 after three quarters.

Despite their losing streak, the Nets came out an inspired group to start the matchup with their new New York rivals, in a meeting dubbed "The Battle of the Boroughs."

Led by Blatche, who hit his first five shots, the Nets jumped out to a 21-5 lead with 4:50 left in the first quarter. Brooklyn connected on seven of its first eight shots and nine of 11 in the early stages. The Nets held a 26-9 lead after Johnson hit a lane jumper. Johnson, who hit just two of eight shots in a loss to Milwaukee on Sunday, was also obviously inspired.

Williams canned a long jumper that enabled the Nets to hold a 30-16 lead at the end of the first quarter.

MarShon Brooks, coming off his best game of the season Sunday, when he scored 14 points, scored nine points in the second quarter as the Nets continued to hold a double-digit lead. Brooks' ninth point of the second quarter gave the Nets a 45-31 lead with 6:19 remaining in the half.

Then, the Knicks caught fire, outscoring the Nets 18-4 over the final six minutes of the half, with Anthony putting on a shooting clinic from all over the floor.

Anthony canned three 3-pointers in the final six minutes and had 22 points in the first half alone, as the Knicks whittled the lead down to 53-49 at the break.

Anthony, who went out of the game early in the second quarter with a bloodied lower lip thanks to an errant elbow from Gerald Wallace, ended the first half shooting 8-for-13 from the floor and 3-for-4 from long range.

Blatche led the Nets with 12 first-half points. The Nets shot 59.5 percent from the floor in the first half (22-for-37), yet held only a 53-49 advantage.

NOTES: Although he practiced fully Monday, Nets center Brook Lopez was out of action for the sixth straight game with a sprained right foot that was originally supposed to keep him out for two games. There is still no timetable for his return. ... Before the game, a piece of the old foul pole from Ebbets Field in Brooklyn was erected outside of the Barclays Center. Jerry Stackhouse represented the Nets in the ceremony, along with Barclays Center majority owner Bruce Ratner, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Sharon Robinson, the daughter of former Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson. Stackhouse wears No. 42 in honor of his idol, Robinson. The flagpole was in a local VFW since Ebbets Field was torn down in 1960, but Ratner purchased the foul pole in 2007 when he planned on moving the franchise to Brooklyn. ... The Knicks entered play with an 85-83 lead in the all-time series since the Nets joined the NBA in 1976. ... While he missed the first meeting because he was filming a movie in New Orleans, huge Knicks fan and Brooklyn native Spike Lee was in attendance, wearing his Knicks colors. ... New York forward Rasheed Wallace was believed to be questionable before the game with a sore left foot, but the 38-year-old veteran was able to play. However, Knicks center Marcus Camby, six months older than Wallace, was not able to play due to a left foot injury.