Carmelo Anthony And Devin Booker Had Very Different Results On Game-Winning Attempts

When the calendar flipped to 2017, the New York Knicks were 16-17 and in decent position when it came to the Eastern Conference Playoff race. Yes, the team was already in the midst of a four-game slide, but what the Knicks did not know was that the bottom was about to fall out from under them. Since Jan. 1, New York is just 3-9 and the latest painful defeat came on Saturday evening at the hands of the Phoenix Suns.

The Knicks managed to score just 15 points on the way to a woeful home loss and the final blow was perhaps the most brutal. As you can see above, Carmelo Anthony had a game-winning attempt in the air as time expired and, for all intents and purposes, it grazed every inch of the rim before falling harmlessly to the floor.

On the flip side, Suns guard Devin Booker ended up with a game-winner of his own, as his three-pointer with 31 seconds to play proved to be the pivotal blow.

It was a breezy catch-and-shoot from Booker, who owns one of the smoothest strokes in the NBA. On one hand, it was indicative of New York’s late-game failings in recent days, as only a fledgling attempt from Derrick Rose came between Booker and an open release. On the other, Phoenix actually took advantage of the avenue provided to them, while Anthony and the Knicks saw it unluckily evade them yet again.

The Knicks aren’t as bad as their recent 3-13 stretch indicates, but they certainly aren’t as good as the 16-13 run to begin the season might have displayed. In 31 seconds, both points were driven home to some degree, and it was a very different evening for Devin Booker than it was for Carmelo Anthony.