Knicks" Anthony Scores 29 Points in 28 Minutes in Victory NEW ORLEANS - This was the world Carmelo Anthony envisioned when he joined the Knicks last season, where defenders have the best view in the arena to watch him light up the scoreboard. A drive to the basket for 2 points here, a spin move to the baseline for an easy jumper there and an easy pull-up 3-pointer in transition just for fun. Anthony did it all Tuesday night against the New Orleans Hornets to lead the Knicks to a smooth 102-80 victory. While Anthony, who scored a game-high 29 points in just 28 minutes, is expected to lead the Knicks (8-1) in scoring, he is unlikely have the opportunity to score so many points so quickly on most nights. The Hornets (3-6) played without Eric Gordon (knee) and their top draft pick, Anthony Davis (ankle). Anthony hit his first five shots and was eight of nine from the floor in the first quarter, scorching New Orleans for 19 points - which was enough to outscore the Hornets. During the first quarter, Anthony said Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd were motivated to keep him hot by giving him the ball as much as possible. "It was good to get it going early," said Anthony, who also had six rebounds and four assists. Anytime you can start off on the road with a first quarter like that, it gives us a lot of confidence. On the Knicks" final possession of the quarter, Anthony caught the ball on the wing and drew the eyes of all five Hornets. In what appeared to be an isolation play, Anthony quickly passed the ball to a wide-open Steve Novak with the clock dwindling down. Novak swished the 3-pointer and on his way back to play defense pointed at Anthony, a sign that Novak knew - like most fans in the New Orleans Arena - that Anthony had a special quarter. "I saw the double team coming from the baseline, and I was trying to face up and find somebody, so it was a matter of taking advantage of that," Anthony said. It was one of those nights. Before the game, Hornets Coach Monty Williams said guarding Anthony was one of the biggest dilemmas for most coaches in the N.B.A. - especially with Anthony playing power forward. "He's one of the best players in the league," Williams said. That's should be enough said. Anthony's performance only pushed his name more deeply into the conversation as being one of the league's best players this early in the season. He has already shown an ability to sacrifice - switching to power forward to allow the Knicks to become a smaller, faster team - and play more team-oriented basketball to lead the Knicks to their impressive start. "He should be at the top of the race right now," Tyson Chandler said of Anthony's being an M.V.P. candidate. We're playing the best basketball right now, and it's because of him. On defense, Anthony usually is matched against players who are taller and bigger (he guarded the 6-foot-10 Ryan Anderson, who is two inches taller), but he has become one of the Knicks" best rebounders. Coach Mike Woodson said before the game there could be some concern with Anthony's body holding up to playing power forward, but he has not heard Anthony complain about his new role. "He's one of the top players in this league," Woodson said. I think he's proven it this season so far. We've just got to continue to push him to play at that level. Entering the game, the Knicks were averaging 112.3 points per 100 possessions with Anthony on the court - one of the highest in the N.B.A. - and 101.4 when he's on the bench, according to NBA.com. On defense, Anthony has also helped the Knicks be the fifth best team in the league, according to Basketball-Reference.com's defensive rating in allowing 99.8 points per 100 possessions before Tuesday's game. On Tuesday, Anthony continued both trends. "He's a real leader out there and it's fun to watch," Chandler said. Jason Kidd played his second straight game with a headband, which is a new look for him in his 18-year career. Kidd was forced to wear the headband after receiving seven stitches when Lance Stephenson of the Indiana Pacers bumped heads with him Sunday. Carmelo Anthony, who regularly wears a headband, joked after the game that Kidd didn't look good in the headband. Kidd said he looked at multiple options to keep the large bandage to cover his stitches in place, but had to settle with the headband. "I hate that thing," Kidd said before Tuesday's game. ... Mike Woodson received another technical foul, his third in three games, in the first quarter. ... Amar'e Stoudemire, who was with the team during its last three-game trip, did not travel with the team. "He's just continuing therapy," Woodson said. They will let us know when he's ready. ... Woodson was pleased none of the Knicks played 30 minutes in Tuesday's win as the team will visit the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday in the second game of a back-to-back.