Knicks 95, Pelicans 87

In winning five of those games-and holding fourth-quarter leads in three others-the Knicks have shown that they should be able to hold their own with the league’s elite teams, something they’ve seldom done the past two years.

However, in light of Friday’s events in Paris, you had to feel for center Kevin Seraphin.

Kevin Seraphin did not play against the Cavaliers.

“I just wanted to do something creative, something different”, said Seraphin regarding his haircut, “not just put something on my shoes”. I had no time to get a tattoo or anything, so I just wanted to do something creative.

Seraphin, a Frenchman who shaved “PARIS” into his hair in remembrance of the terror attack in France, had 10 points, seven rebounds and no assists in six games coming into the day.

“We just have to communicate better”, Gentry said. “There’s nobody out on the street”. “It can happen everywhere and anywhere”.

Galloway scored 15 points, eight in the decisive fourth quarter that allowed the Knicks to win just their second home game of the season. Asked if that changed his game planning, Knicks’ coach Derek Fisher opined that he was hopeful Davis would be in the lineup. That dream doesn’t look as possible after what we have seen from the Bulls, and it should be revealing about the front office’s intentions once we observe what kind of moves (if any) that Gar Forman and John Paxson make. A player like Seraphin will help fill in, and it’s important for the Knicks to have that depth on the bench. I still think we did a poor job on the offensive boards.

Perhaps even more encouraging for the Knicks: Of their first 11 games to start the season, nine have come against clubs who reached the playoffs a season ago, including Cleveland (twice), San Antonio and Atlanta. You can’t be scared, and just fight through it. I also play for the Knicks and have to be professional and they pay me to play, so basically I have to keep working. They didn’t post their fifth victory until December 12 last season and were still stuck on five wins at 5-32 when Jackson broke up the team January 5 with his fire-sale trades. They had a tough schedule for the first few weeks and now it will get somewhat easier. Kristaps Porzingis was extremely active, stealing the ball on the first possession and drilling a 3-pointer.

Forward Carmelo Anthony led the way for the Knicks, pouring in 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting while grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds.