Carmelo Anthony Exacts Revenge on Rockets With Dagger Three

Anthony's three in the final minute on Tuesday gave the Blazers a five-point lead it would never relinquish.

A win against any team is crucial for Carmelo Anthony and the Blazers as they attempt to seize a playoff spot in Orlando, but Tuesday's 110-102 victory had to be additionally sweet for the former scoring champion. 

Anthony has been a solid contributor in 52 games for Portland this year, shooting 37.7% from three in his 17th season. And frankly, it's a surprise Anthony even continued his career with the Blazers after a dismal 2018-19. The 10-time All-Star played just 10 games for Houston last season, struggling to integrate himself into Mike D'Antoni's system as he shot 40.5% from the field. Anthony's Hall-of-Fame career was in jeopardy of ending when he parted ways with the Rockets in November 2019.

Portland's forward didn't light up the scoreboard on Tuesday night, though he certainly showed up when it mattered most. Anthony forced a turnover of James Harden with less than four minutes remaining, and he banged home a dagger three as the clock ticked under one minute. Anthony's stroke remains as smooth as it was in his New York heyday. His flair for the dramatic appears to be thriving as well. 

MELO 👌👌👌 pic.twitter.com/kBVbHmtgny

— NBA (@NBA) August 5, 2020

The Rockets didn't express surprise at Anthony's clutch bucket postgame. Harden, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green each praised the future Hall-of-Famer, noting Anthony's ability to score even in the most adverse situations. Anthony's stint in Houston didn't end well, but that period didn't impact his stature across the league. 

"You try to battle [Anthony] as much as you can, there's no real plan against him specifically," Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni said postgame. "Melo is a good scorer and when they swung the ball to him he knocked the shot down. He's a real good player. 

The Rockets will look to rebound from their loss against Anthony and the Blazers on Thursday night. Tip-off against the Lakers is slated for 8 p.m. CT.