Pelicans hand Knicks ninth straight loss

Ryan Anderson poured in a season-best 31 points, and Tyreke Evans scored 24 as the New Orleans Pelicans won their second straight 103-99 over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.

The Knicks dropped their ninth straight game and seventh in a row at Madison Square Garden. The last time they lost nine in a row was 2006. The seven consecutive home losses ties a franchise record.

Jrue Holiday added 11 points, and Eric Gordon put in 10 for New Orleans (8-8).

Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks (3-13) with 23 points on 9-for-21 shooting and 10 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a career-best 21 points for New York, which last won a home game Oct. 30.

After the Knicks went ahead 93-88 on a 3-pointer from Hardaway, Jr., the Pelicans rattled off a 10-0 run that put them ahead 98-93. Evans had five points in the spurt.

Trailing 102-99, the Knicks had two looks to tie it with 3-pointers, but both Hardaway Jr. and Anthony misfired. Evans then went 1-for-2 on free throws to extend the lead to 103-99.

The Knicks misfired on three more attempts from deep in the final seconds -- two by J.R. Smith and one by Anthony.

Anthony Davis suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left hand in the first quarter on a dunk attempt and did not return. He sat on the Pelicans' bench with his left hand wrapped. A timetable for his return is TBD. He entered averaging 19.6 points and 10.6 rebounds.