New York Knicks: Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony Trending In Right Direction

New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose and small forward Carmelo Anthony both look like they could return to the court against the Denver Nuggets tonight.

The New York Knicks received some good news on Friday. The Knicks held a practice in preparation for their game against the Denver Nuggets and they had some familiar faces back on the court. Starting point guard Derrick Rose and small forward Carmelo Anthony were both present and participating.

The Knicks PR Twitter account said both players made it through practice, while Marc Berman of the New York Post also tweeted that Anthony says he will definitely play.

At this point, both players are trending in the right direction and seem likely to suit up against the Nuggets. Both players missed the Knicks last game on Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors.

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Rose missed the game as his back spasms flared up. The spasms first started on December 6th against the Miami Heat. Rose was forced from the game in the third quarter and was unable to play in the next two games. He returned against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 11th but was forced from the game against the Suns on Tuesday, December 13th after the first quarter.

The Knicks must make sure that Rose is 100 percent before letting him back on the court. They do have a decent layoff after the game against the Nuggets, as they do not play again until Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks need Rose healthy so if he has to miss one more game it is better to have him get it out of the way now instead of it lingering longer.

Anthony sat out against the Warriors because of a shoulder injury. It is no surprise that he told Berman that he is playing, as this is a game Anthony probably circles on the schedule every season.

Anthony began his career with the Nuggets, playing the first 8.5 years of his career there. He will be looking for his first victory in Denver since being traded to the Knicks. The Knicks are 3-5 against the Nuggets since acquiring Anthony, going 0-4 in Denver. Anthony missed the game in Denver during the 2014-15 season because of his knee surgery, and the Knicks lost by 28.

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It would mean a lot to Anthony to get off the snide and defeat his old team. This could be his best chance, as the Knicks look like they could be at full strength for one of the first times this season on Saturday night.