Melo would welcome UConn's Walker

DALLAS -- If Kemba Walker wants to be a teammate of Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks star welcomed the idea.

"That's good that he wants to do that,'' Anthony said before Thursday night's 127-109 loss to the Mavericks. "I never knew he was a fan of mine.''

Walker, who on Wednesday said Anthony "has been my favorite player, so where he goes, I go,'' followed his idol's lead by hitting a game-winning shot for Connecticut against Pittsburgh in a Big East Tournament quarterfinal Thursday, a day after Anthony drilled a game-winner for the Knicks in Memphis.

Anthony's shot with five-tenths of a second remaining was the 13th game-winning shot in the final 10 seconds in his career, according to the NBA. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since Anthony's rookie season in 2003-04, he has hit 15 go-ahead shots in the final 10 seconds of a game, tying him with Kobe Bryant for the most during that span.

Having Anthony, Chauncey Billups and Amar'e Stoudemire at crunch time is quite a luxury to have for a coach.

"If we can get to that point,'' Mike D'Antoni said, "we've got a good chance.''

Anthony's shot pushed the Knicks closer to a playoff berth, and Walker's set up a semifinal against Syracuse Friday night. Anthony didn't see that game-winner or the win over St. John's by the Orange, which he led to the NCAA championship in 2003. He missed the late heroics by the fittingly named Fab Melo against the Storm because he was taking his usual game-day nap. The Knicks are off Friday, and Anthony is planning to attend Saturday's final should Syracuse make it. "Hopefully I get a chance to make it,'' he said.

But while he was flattered by Walker's appreciation, his loyalties in this game are clear.

"I hope they beat Connecticut, although Kemba, that's another story there,'' Anthony said. "I'm still riding with the 'Cuse though.''

Perhaps Anthony and Walker can ride together next season, though it is highly unlikely the playoff-bound Knicks will be in position to draft the UConn guard, who is almost assured of being a lottery pick.

"I think about that all the time,'' the Bronx-born Walker said Wednesday. "I would love to not only play with him but play for this organization, just because I'm from here. But whatever happens, happens. I can't control stuff like that.''

Even if Walker were to be available, the play of Toney Douglas in the past six games during Billups' injury absence (16.8 points, 6.8 assists and 1.8 turnovers per game) has lessened the need for another point guard.

Douglas' confidence continues to grow. More importantly, D'Antoni's confidence in him also is growing, even as the coach gets in the ear of his second-year guard during games.

"It's a good thing that he gets on me,'' Douglas said. "It means he expects a lot out of me. I adjust real well to it. I just say, 'OK, Coach, I got it.' ''

Notes & quotes: Billups missed his sixth straight game with a deep thigh bruise, but D'Antoni said Wednesday that Billups will "definitely'' return for Sunday's home game against the Indiana Pacers . . . Thursday night's game was part of the NBA's "Noche Latino'' event, which has teams wear Spanish language versions of their uniforms (the Knicks had "Nueva York'' on the front).