Knicks hit club-record 20 3s in victory (AP)

NEW YORK (AP)—Toney Douglas(notes) tied a franchise record by making nine of the
New York Knicks’ franchise-record 20 3-pointers, scoring 29 points in a 120-99
victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night that snapped a three-game
losing streak.

Carmelo Anthony(notes) scored 28 points and Chauncey Billups(notes) added 18 for the
Knicks, who were 20 of 36 (55.6 percent) from behind the arc and moved back
ahead of Philadelphia into sole possession of sixth place in the Eastern
Conference.

Wearing green uniforms for St. Patrick’s Day, the Knicks looked much better
than they did during their slide. Douglas’ sneakers were the wrong shade of
green—sort of like the Hulk—but everything else was perfect. His ninth
3-pointer, with 17 seconds left, gave the team a record total and allowed him to
match Latrell Sprewell and John Starks on the individual game list.

Mike Conley(notes) scored 16 points for the Grizzlies, whose lead was sliced to one
game over Utah for the final playoff spot in the West.

Amare Stoudemire(notes) scored 16 for the Knicks, who shot 52 percent overall and
were 18 of 21 at the free-throw line.

New York had dropped three straight since Anthony’s jumper with 0.5 seconds
left in a 110-108 victory at Memphis on March 9, allowing an alarming 117.3
points per game during the skid, which included a home-and-home sweep by a
sub.-500 Indiana team.

The defense was better, but the story was the record-breaking perimeter
game.

The Knicks turned an eight-point halftime lead into a blowout by hitting
seven 3-pointers in the third quarter. Billups hit two early in the period and
scored 12 points, while Douglas closed the quarter with two in the final 34
seconds as New York build a 92-74 lead.

Their previous record of 19 3s also came against the Grizzlies on Nov. 12,
2008.

It was a sorely needed win for a Knicks team that has been inconsistent
while Denver has rolled since their blockbuster trade involving Anthony last
month. The Knicks are now only 7-6 since, even though the struggles ultimately
have meant nothing to their playoff hopes.

The Knicks are still in sixth, just as they were when the deal went down,
and haven’t been lower than that since they were seventh through games of Dec.
2, according to STATS, LLC.

Yet that’s done nothing to relax a fan base with bulked-up expectations
since acquiring a second star to pair with Stoudemire. Coach Mike D’Antoni joked
the fans that are panicking should “take some Prozac or something.”

“Hang in there, we’re hanging in there, we’re pedaling as fast as we can
pedal,” he said before the game.

“The biggest thing, and I’ll just keep repeating,” he added, “is that
we’re not going to get caught up in the hysteria and we’re going to be who we
are, we’re going to play as well as we can and get it together and hang in as a
group and try to make the playoffs and then try to do as good as we can.”

No worries this time from the fans, who were too busy chanting Douglas’ name
in the final minute.

Neither team led by more than four points in the first quarter, which ended
in a 29-all tie. Douglas, who makes the Knicks so much more dangerous when his
outside shot is falling, was 5 for 6 from behind the arc for 15 points in the
second period as New York took a 59-51 halftime lead.

NOTES: The Knicks are 2-0 this season in their green uniforms, which they
wore while beating Chicago on Christmas. … Memphis G Jason Williams(notes) had an MRI
on his back that revealed no structural damage. He continues to be listed as out
with lower back soreness. … Stoudemire, Anthony and Billups will be featured
on a segment of NBA TV’s “True NBA” news magazine program next Monday night.
The trio sat down with former Georgetown coach John Thompson for the interview.