Knicks 101, Bucks 83: Carmelo Anthony remained hot by scoring 18 of his 41 points in the third quarter as host New York ran its winning streak to 11 games.

Anthony followed up scoring efforts of 50 and 40 points to become the first Knick since Bernard King in 1984-85 to record at least 40 in three straight games. He shot 17-for-28 and J.R. Smith added 30 points off the bench for New York, which scored more points in the third quarter (42) than it did in the entire first half (36).

Brandon Jennings led Milwaukee with 25 points. His fellow starters combined for 29 as the Bucks saw their lead over Philadelphia in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference reduced to five games with seven to play.

While New York made just 1-of-12 from 3-point range in the first half, Milwaukee got four 3-pointers from J.J. Redick in taking a 45-36 lead. However, the Knicks' third-quarter surge included a 2:24 stretch in which they hit five straight 3s, the last two by Smith, and a 60-footer at the buzzer by Jason Kidd that put them up 78-66.

Redick's fifth 3-pointer got the Bucks within 87-81 with 4:39 left but Anthony answered with eight straight points to all but wrap up Milwaukee's seventh loss in nine games. New York made 11-of-24 3-pointers in the second half.

GAME NOTEBOOK: New York played without F Kenyon Martin (knee). ... Milwaukee shot 40 percent from beyond the arc, but was 17-for-46 inside it. ... Knicks F Iman Shumpert missed all seven of his shots.