NEW YORK -- While some of his Knicks teammates are downplaying the team's first game in Brooklyn Monday night, Carmelo Anthony is embracing the big moment.

Anthony, after all, was born in Brooklyn and says the first Knicks-Nets game in the Barclays Center will be especially meaningful.

"If we don't get up for this game, then I don't know what game we'll get up for," Anthony said after scoring a game-best 29 points as the Knicks routed the Detroit Pistons, 121-100, Sunday at Madison Square Garden.