Sixers rally but fall short against Anthony, Knicks

Philadelphia - There is an old adage in basketball, pack your effort and energy because the jump shot doesn't always travel.

The Sixers couldn't shoot straight all night and didn't bring their customary energy until the fourth quarter on Wednesday. In the end, it wasn't enough as Philadelphia fell to Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks, 97-92, and lost the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race, at least temporarily.

The 76ers fought back from a 19-point deficit to actually take the lead, 88-87, after a Jodie Meeks' layup on the fastbreak with just 2:46 left.

The next few moments told the story of the game. After New York failed to convert, Meeks had an open look on a three from the right corner but the ball went in-and-out. A 42 percent shooter from long range coming in , it was Meeks' eighth straight miss from beyond the arc in the contest. At the other end Toney Douglas, buried a three and the Knicks never trailed again.

"I said how fickle it was if Jodie's shot goes in, we're up four," Sixers coach Doug Collins said. Toney Douglas' does, we're down two. That's a six-point swing on two shots."

Philadelphia finished just 2-of-18 from long range on the night and was outscored 33-6 from three-point range.

Anthony was brilliant, finishing with a game-high 31 points and 11 rebounds, including a three over Andre Iguodala that sealed the game with 11.8 seconds left.

"Phew...The man is on fire," Knicks rookie Landry Fields said when asked about Anthony. "Hopefully that continues with him and we are going to ride that out."

Amar'e Stoudemire added 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists for New York, which now leads the Sixers by one-half game. The Knicks have four games remaining while the Sixers have three, all in Wells Fargo Center. Douglas finished with 17 points.

"We wanted to win," Anthony said . "I don't really care about [the] six or seven [playoff seeds] but we wanted to win this game. That was the most important thing for us."

Thaddeus Young had 15 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and got Philadelphia back in it. Elton Brand netted 24 points with nine rebounds and Iguodala had 15 points, six assists and five rebounds but struggled with his jumper again as the Sixers lost their third straight game.

"Thaddeus Young was incredible. E.B. Was incredible," Collins said. "We had a chance and I couldn't have been more proud of the way they fought. "

Meeks was just 2-of-11 in the game and was 0-8 from three-point range. Spencer Hawes finished 0-for-5 from the floor, Jrue Holiday was 5-of-17 and Evan Turner was 2-for-8. Overall, the 76ers shot just 11.1 percent from beyond the arc and 63.6 percent from the free throw line.

"We got off to a slow start shooting the ball," Collins said. "I think that we had a little bit of a mental carryover. We haven't shot the ball well."

SIX SHOTS:

*Attendance was 18,375.

*Knicks point guard Chauncey Billups left the game in the third quarter with a left thigh contusion and never returned. Stoudemire also said he sprained his left ankle, stepping on Young but gutted it out.

"I'm sore right now but I'll be all right," Billups said. "It's not like the last [injury], thank goodness."

*New York finished with 11 threes. The Sixers are just 1-5 when allowing 10-or-more in a game.

*Brand has scored 20-or-more 15 times this season.

*Stoudemire tied his season-high with seven assists.