Anthony returns, struggling Knicks pound lowly Pistons

Feb 1, 2012, 6:45 GMT

Los Angeles - Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points after missing the last two games with an assortment of nagging injuries, and the New York Knicks won for just the second time in the last 11 games, pounding the visiting Detroit Pistons 113-86 Tuesday night.

Anthony sat out the last two games to rest ankle, thumb and wrist sprains that have recently slowed down his production. It seemed to work, as the Knicks top scorer made 9-of-14 shots and handed out six assists in the lopsided win.

Landry Fields netted 18 points, Tyson Chandler contributed 17 while Amar'e Stoudemire finished with 15 for the Knicks (8-13), who shot a sizzling 60 per cent from the field for the first time since March 2004, to end a four-game home slide.

Jonas Jerebko scored 15 points while Greg Monroe had 13 with 12 rebounds for the downward-spiraling Pistons (4-19), who have dropped six straight games and 10 of 11.

Paul Pierce scored 20 points while Kevin Garnett knocked down a key jumper with just over a minute remaining, and the Boston Celtics escaped the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 93-90 after nearly blowing a 22-point cushion, for their fifth win in six games.

Rookie Kyrie Irving scored 21 points while Anderson Varejao finished with 20 points and 20 rebounds for Cleveland, which took Sunday's opener of the home-and-home series.

Elsewhere: the Indiana Pacers clipped the visiting New Jersey Nets for the ninth straight time 106-99; the visiting Atlanta Hawks routed the Toronto Raptors 100-77; the LA Lakers blew out the visiting Charlotte Bobcats 106-73; and the Golden State Warriors edged the visiting Sacramento Kings 93-90.