"Vince Carter says he has little idea what Carmelo Anthony wants in a team, and he knows even less about the new-look Nets these days. But the former New Jersey star knows this much: If 'Melo wants to play in an exhilarating atmosphere, the Nets deserve a shot.

"I don't know what he's looking for," Carter said. "But with this team moving to Brooklyn, the excitement is there. It was just a great place to play."

For Carter, the metropolitan area still is. The 33-year-old proved that much Monday, leading his new team, the Phoenix Suns, to a 129-121 victory over the Knicks at the Garden. Carter scored a season-high 29 points - including the 20,000th point of his career.

"My shot was falling," Carter said. "I just wanted to be aggressive.""