By NEWSDAY. Carmelo Anthony was having his way with the Clippers and appeared headed for a 50-point game. But the Knicks would have needed Anthony to hit that mark and more to beat Chris Paul and the Clippers.. While Anthony dominated with his shot-making and scored 42 points, Paul toyed with the Knicks in the Clippers' 102-88 victory yesterday afternoon at the Garden.. The Clippers' backcourt and Grant Hill's late-game defense on Anthony were the difference. Hill helped hold Anthony to four points in the fourth quarter, when Anthony took only two shots.. The Knicks (32-17) continue to show an inability to contain an opposing team's perimeter players. Former Knick Jamal Crawford came off the bench to score 27 for the Clippers (36-17). Paul finished with 25 and seven assists; backup point guard Eric Bledsoe was 6-for-6 and scored 13. Raymond Felton scored 20 points and was the only other Knick to reach double figures.. Anthony scored 20 in the first half, before pouring in 18 in the third quarter on 9-for-10 shooting to lead the Knicks back from a 12-point deficit. But after Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro dusted off the 40-year-old Hill to defend Anthony, his shots didn't come as easily and he was just 1-for-2 in the fourth.. After an Amar'e Stoudemire three-point play to open the fourth, the Knicks led 73-71. But the Clippers regained control with a 15-5 run and led 90-78 after a Blake Griffin jump shot.. Anthony only attempted one shot during that run and didn't score his first basket in the fourth until 3:18 was left
