Carmelo Anthony must be feeling proud! The 10-time NBA All-Star has always admired Michael Jordan and even made a deal with his iconic Jordan brand. But admiration didn’t stop Anthony from delivering one of the most unforgettable moments of his career against Jordan’s co-owned team ten years ago. This incredible game, which still resonates with fans, is even a personal favorite of his son Kiyan’s.

It’s not uncommon for interviewers to ask Kiyan about his father’s career and vice versa. When asked to recall his favorite moment, the 17-year-old pointed to his father’s unforgettable 62-point game. Another game he mentioned was Carmelo Anthony‘s back-to-back three-pointers against Jordan’s former team, the Chicago Bulls. 

“I got a couple I would say when he scored 62 in the garden and I say when he hit the back-to-back game-winners against the Bulls,” Kiyan recalled. This was back in January of 2014 when the Knicks flipped the script by defeating the Charlotte Hornets 125-96 at Madison Square Garden. Anthony, who had just been named to the All-Star team, silenced his critics by breaking records and proving he was worthy of the honor. He was showing what he was capable of.

Surpassing Bernard King’s previous record, Anthony scored 62 points on 23-of-35 shooting against MJ’s team. Back then, Jordan owned the majority stakes in the franchise. This was the highest-scoring game at Madison Square Garden and a franchise record for the New York Knicks.

While Kiyan knows about one of Melo’s many iconic games, the question is, does he also know what inspired him?

Carmelo Anthony’s anger fueled his power 62 points game 

Melo also helped the Knicks break their five-game losing streak with this win. One can only imagine the amount of pressure the team was under. The team was also facing constant criticism from fans and the media.

Their leadership and skills were harshly judged, but Melo’s only fitting response was to let his performance speak for itself. Before the game, he had prepared by listening to a motivational tape of his idol, Muhammad Ali. This was thanks to a Knicks mentor who knew what could motivate Melo. 

“I went out there, and I was in such a zone. Nothing or nobody could say anything to me. It was like a bubble. I was angry—the fans were on me, the media were ridiculing me, we were losing. That can cause a lot of stress, but I was determined to show how great I am and that I wasn’t worried about that other stuff,” Melo said. He scored 25 points in the first quarter alone, and there was no looking back.

While his son Kiyan may have heartlessly left him off his list of GOATs, he still has an inside track on all of Melo’s games, as he should. And this game is just one example of the legend Melo was on the court.