Carmelo Anthony scored at least 20 points for the 31st consecutive game as the New York Knicks knocked off the visiting Milwaukee Bucks by a final score of 96-86.

The Bucks seemed to have New York's number before the break, but a 33-point second half turned Milwaukee's six-point halftime advantage into a double-digit deficit by the time the final buzzer sounded.

Anthony led all scorers with 25, and the Knicks got 17 apiece from their offensive-minded bench duo of Amar'e Stoudemire and J.R. Smith. As a team, the Knicks hoisted 35 three-point shots (13 by Smith alone) and managed to make 13 of them after starting just 4-of-16 from long distance.

Tyson Chandler policed the paint and pulled down 20 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass as he continued to be the only consistent "dirty work" player for New York. His tenacity and aggressiveness on the boards gave the Knicks the extra possessions they needed to keep the game close in the first half.

After the break, Milwaukee went ice-cold from the perimeter and couldn't generate any easy looks inside. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, who handled the ball on virtually every Bucks possession, have to take the blame for the second-half swoon. Ellis had a hot third quarter on his own, but he still finished the game with just 16 points on 7-of-20 shooting.

Jennings was just as bad, tallying 14 points on 5-of-18 from the field.

The Knicks seem happy to continue living and dying by the three point shot. They survived against the Bucks, but that had as much to do with Milwaukee's woeful offense as it did with New York's second-half hot streak.

The Knicks moved to 29-15 with the win, while the Bucks slipped to 24-21 in defeat.

Final Score: Knicks 96, Bucks 86