Anthony back in style for Knicks

Carmelo Anthony returned to guide the New York Knicks to victory in the NBA on Tuesday (local time), while the Los Angeles Lakers also won.

Returning after missing two games because of ankle, wrist and thumb injuries, Anthony scored 25 points as the Knicks ended a three-match losing streak with a 113-86 win against the Detroit Pistons.

Landry Fields added 18 points and Tyson Chandler hit 17 as the Knicks shot at over 50 percent from the field for the first time this season.

For the Pistons, Swede Jonas Jerebko managed 15 points as they slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat.

Meanwhile, the Lakers improved to 11 wins from 13 home matches with a 106-73 thrashing of the struggling Charlotte Bobcats.

Kobe Bryant (24 points) and Andrew Bynum (20) led the way against the lowly Bobcats, who have won just three of 22 matches this campaign.

Paul Pierce (20 points and six assists) helped the Boston Celtics to a 93-90 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had a late comeback fall just short.

The Celtics gave up a big lead to lose to the Cavaliers on Sunday, but they hung on this time despite seeing a 22-point lead cut to two in the final minutes.

Paul George managed a career-high 24 points and Danny Granger scored 21 as the Indiana Pacers edged the New Jersey Nets 106-99.

Joe Johnson scored 30 points as the Atlanta Hawks breezed past the Toronto Raptors 100-77, while the Memphis Grizzlies ended a four-game losing streak with a 100-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Brandon Rush scored 15 of his 20 points in the last quarter as the Golden State Warriors edged the Sacramento Kings 93-90.