The New York Knicks (25-13) will host their newest cross-town rivals, the Brooklyn Nets (24-16) in a mid-afternoon matchup at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

Carmelo Anthony will most certainly be under the microscope for the Knicks' annual Martin Luther King game against a team that's trying to inch even closer to the top of the Atlantic Division race.

Anthony is on a tear, putting up a minimum of 20 points in 25 consecutive games, which is the longest streak of his entire career.  The star has turned himself into an MVP candidate while simultaneously leading New York on a potential championship run thus far.

"I've been on some good teams, had good players on some of the teams that I've played with.  But as far as being a complete team from top to bottom, this is the best team I've been a part of," Anthony told ESPN.

In his first appearance as a Knick on M.L.K. Day, Anthony racked up 33 points, but also shot a measly 9 of 27 in the club's 102-93 defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic last year.  The matchup against Brooklyn will be New York's 14th consecutive game on the holiday.

In three games against the Nets this season, Anthony is averaging 37.0 points, and the Knicks are 2-1 against them.

Brooklyn currently find themselves just two games behind the Knicks in the Atlantic and are excited for the important contest.

"It's a great honor to play on this day.  We're fortunate to play in a city where one of the pioneers of sports, (who) kind of transcended sports played in Jackie Robinson.  And now we get to honor a guy who kind of transcended the world in his believe in equality and things like that," Jerry Stackhouse said.

For those who have access to NBA LEAGUE PASS or would like to sign up, simply CLICK HERE to watch the New York Knicks take on the Brooklyn Nets via live stream.  Coverage of the NBA game is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 21.