NBA Recap: Watch Carmelo Anthony Video Highlights As He Returns While Knicks Win Over Orlando Magic

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(Photo : Reuters) New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony carries the ball past Orlando Magic forward Moe Harkless for a layup in the third quarter as the Knicks beat the Magic at MadisonSquare Garden Wednesday.

As their most important player returned to the court Wednesday night, so, too, did the New York Knicks' winning ways.

Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony, coming off three missed games with right knee issues, returned with a vengeance Wednesday night to score 21 points as he led the Knicks to a needed 106-94 win over the Magic.

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The win gave the once-struggling Knicks (40-26) a two-game winning streak as they fight to hold their slender one-game lead in the Atlantic Division over the Brooklyn Nets.

Anthony had fluid drained from his right knee during the Knicks' road trip last week, but said he felt much better after the morning shootaround prior to their home game at Madison Square Garden.

And it showed, with the team shooting 53 percent and Melo himself going 7 for 14 with eight rebounds while J.R. Smith provided some insurance with 22 points off the bench. The Magic's Andrew Nicholson scored 14 poitns to lead the Magic.

Anthony hit a three-pointer on the Knicks' first possession to open the game and that set the tone for the Knicks 26-15 lead in the first quarter. The Magic scored 31 points in the second quarter to cut the lead to five, but the Knicks pulled away in the third quarter with a 10-2 run and never looked back.