Thunder finish highly anticipated road trip 2-1

NEW YORK -- An hour or so before Saturday's tipoff, Carmelo Anthony laid on his back in visiting locker room at Madison Square Garden, an unfamiliar place, watching tape of the Knicks' previous game, against Lonzo Ball and the Los Angeles Lakers. He was getting his body stretched and massaged, trying to get revved up and ready for his return to New York after playing 47 minutes in a triple-overtime thriller in Philadelphia the night before.

A few feet to his left, reporters gathered around Russell Westbrook for a pregame interview session, and a question was asked if Westbrook found it strange that the Oklahoma City Thunder had two homecoming games in one road trip, with Paul George's return to Indiana happening three nights earlier.

As Westbrook started to answer, Anthony piped up. "Ain't no coincidence!" he yelled.

Conspiracy theory aside, the schedule was set before Anthony was traded to Oklahoma City in September, but there's no question the Thunder have had the trip circled for weeks. With a wobbling start to their season, there was a feeling inside the team that this trip could be something to galvanize them, to bring them closer. They slugged out a five-point win for George in Indy, then outlasted the 76ers in Philly; they headed to New York with a chance to cap it off for Anthony.

After Anthony was caught by surprise with an introductory video tribute, it started the way it was supposed to, with Anthony drilling a 3 on the Thunder's opening possession. But with heavy legs and the late announcement that Steven Adams couldn't play due to a concussion, the Thunder were a step slow; they were barraged by deep shots, and that was without Knicks big manKristaps Porzingis(knee).

Anthony finished with 12 points on 5 of 18 shooting and didn't score in the second half, as the Knicks prevailed 111-96.

"He wanted the moment; Melo lives for big games like this," George said. "I feel for him that we didn't come together and we didn't help him finish what was an amazing night for him."

The wins in Indianapolis and Philadelphia featured raucous OKC locker rooms, with music blaring through a portable speaker that Westbrook carried around. The Thunder don't typically have music going in the locker room after games, but there was a clear vibe going. After the win against the Pacers, the music was cut so that Thunder forwardJosh Huestis could speak with reporters. Westbrook wasn't having it. He wanted the music back on. So he went back to the shower area and cranked it back up.

After the loss to the Knicks, though, the vibe was gone. The OKC locker room was quiet and somber, maybe in part from exhaustion, but probably more frustration. The Thunder felt like they were building on something with the wins against the Pacers and Sixers, and they had visions of heading back to Oklahoma City with a plus-.500 record in their pockets for the first time since the opening week of the season.

"I said earlier, wasn't by coincidence though," Anthony said. "They give us this game on the fourth night of a tough road trip, a very emotional road trip for our team, for our organization, being that we were in Indiana, dealing with that situation, Philly last night and then here in New York. So it was overall, from a basketball standpoint, for us to win two out of three games, I'll take that. We wanted this one. I'm not going to sit here and lie. It was a fun game. We wanted this one. But for us, it's a bigger picture. So we move on."

There has been a bubbling curiosity about how the 14-15 Thunder are handling their less-than-ideal start. Are they still happy? Are there any fractures brewing? Are they together and committed?

"We've never had chemistry problems. We like, and enjoy, playing with one another. It's never been a chemistry problem," Anthony said. "We've just got to figure out how to do so, but there's never been chemistry problems with this group. We've embraced this since we came together that this was going to be a journey for us, and that's where we're at. We're within the thick of this journey right now."

Through 29 games, the Thunder never expected to be a game under .500, but they also aren't surprised it hasn't been smooth. The transition for all three stars has been difficult, with Westbrook struggling with his shooting, George seeing less of the ball and Anthony adjusting to a different role.

"It is a different situation for me? Yes. Different dynamic for me? Yes," Anthony said. "Something I have to accept. Something I'm working on every day as far as my role on this team, what we need from me in order for this team to be successful. But this is, for me and the team, it's about big picture for us. It's a bigger picture. That's my goal and not be disappointed or get down when a game or two don't go your way or shots are not falling ,because our goal is a bigger picture."

As George said, the Thunder wanted to go three for three on this trip.

They've won six of their past nine, which is positive, but not necessarily all that awe-inspiring. They've had some good moments; they've also had some very bad ones. But every staffer and every player remains adamant: They're still connected, and they believe the process will eventually pay off.