{"numbering":"no_numbering","slides":[{"title":"The beginning of Melo Mania","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/USATSI_13688571.jpg","credit":"","published":1606003035,"caption":"

It was Nov. 16, 2019 when the news first broke.

That’s when Melo-Mania first began in Portland.

Reports were flying that free agent Carmelo Anthony was set to sign a non-guaranteed deal with the Trail Blazers.

Melo was making his return to basketball nearly a year after the last game he played with the Rockets.

Three days later the Blazers officially signed the veteran forward.

Since Melo returned to the NBA and put on a Trail Blazers uniform in Nov., there have been many memorable Melo moments.

Let’s take a look back at Melo’s triumphant return. A return we won’t ever forget here in Rip City.

"},{"title":"Basketball took a backseat for Melo... for a special moment","video":"BWXy7GJqxCJJ","thumbnail":{"uri":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/short_form_video/hero/1f0302c9ac32_1920x1080.jpg","alt":"Basketball took a backseat for Melo... for a special moment.","title":"Basketball took a backseat for Melo... for a special moment."},"credit":"","published":1606002589,"caption":"

During his comeback season, Carmelo Anthony rolled back the clock and showed us he still has all his tricks in the bag en route to a 25-point performance against the Bulls on November 29th. The win had everyone in Rip City smiling, but perhaps none was bigger than the pixelated grin on an iPhone screen near the Blazers bench.

Midway through the fourth quarter, with the game well in hand and Melo sitting on the bench, the TV cameras captured a very special moment. La La Anthony, Carmelo's wife, was behind the bench and had their son Kiyan on the phone via FaceTime. La La turned the phone to the Blazers bench, where Carmelo happened to catch a glance. Carmelo saluted the phone, he and his son both smiling from ear to ear.

For a man that had been away from the game for more than a year, it was truly special. A moment with his family, on the court, that months ago looked like it may never have a chance to happen.

Said Melo after the game, "Anytime I can get that support, especially with the situation I'm in now leaving my family back in New York and going five, six hours away... anytime you get that support it means a lot."

"},{"title":"Melo reaches monumental NBA milestone","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/USATSI_13923977.jpg","credit":"","published":1606002078,"caption":"

During the Blazers-Mavs game in Dallas on Jan. 17, Melo became the 18th NBA player in history to reach the 26,000-carrer points mark.

He has scored 971 points as a member of the Trail Blazers

Here’s a look at the NBA's all-time scoring list:

1.	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	38,387
2.	Karl Malone	36,928
3.	LeBron James	34,241
4.	Kobe Bryant	33,643
5.	Michael Jordan	32,292
6.	Dirk Nowitzki	31,560
7.	Wilt Chamberlain	31,419
8.	Julius Erving	30,026
9.	Moses Malone	29,580
10.	Shaquille O'Neal	28,596
11.	Dan Issel	27,482
12.	Elvin Hayes	27,313
13.	Hakeem Olajuwon	26,946
14.	Oscar Robertson	26,710
15.	Dominique Wilkins	26,668
16.	George Gervin	26,595
17.	Tim Duncan	26,496
18.	Carmelo Anthony	26,446
19.	Paul Pierce	26,397
20.	John Havlicek	26,395

"},{"title":"Fans Everywhere Show Their Love and Appreciation for Melo","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/usatsi_13825589_1.jpg","credit":"","published":1606002363,"caption":"

At the end of February, the Trail Blazers had lost 7 of their last 10 games and are without Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Zach Collins and Rodney Hood because of injury.

Portland fell to the Pacers in Indianapolis 106-100 after a late surge came up short. Anthony finished the night with 12 points and 7 rebounds.

But that loss on Feb. 27 turned out to be a very special one for a young fan.

As Pacers fans celebrated and the Blazers walked out of the arena bowl with their heads down, several Trail Blazers fans surrounded the tunnel closest to their locker room.

Carmelo stopped. The fan was in COMPLETE DISBELIEF to get an autograph from the Future Hall of Famer.

This was just one of the many examples of fan's reactions to Melo. Fans all over the country cheered and applauded Melo in his return. That might be the best part of witnessing his comeback season.

"},{"title":"Carmelo Anthony's game winner over the Raptors","video":"_ZhTY_HflAml","thumbnail":{"uri":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/short_form_video/hero/5d9211ae9404_1920x1080.jpg","alt":"Carmelo's game-winner!!!!!","title":"Carmelo's game-winner!!!!!"},"credit":"","published":1606002438,"caption":"

It was January 7, 2020 in Toronto, with Damian Lillard double-teamed, Anthony stepped up to sink the game-winning jumper for the Trail Blazers.

Melo came up clutch with four seconds remaining on the clock as Portland rallied to beat the Raptors 101-99.

After down by as many as 14 points in the second half, Agent 007 hit a go-ahead game winner with 4.1 seconds left to help lift the Blazers over the Raptors.

"},{"title":"The 35-year old did something he hadn’t done in three years","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/usatsi_14098728.jpg","credit":"","published":1606002855,"caption":"

The Trail Blazers clawed their way back after being down by as many as 10 points in the third quarter to snag a 107-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 23.

Melo’s offensive production along with CJ McCollum’s takeover performance, sprinkled in with timely stops in the fourth quarter all added up to Portland beating the Pistons and snapping a three-game losing streak.

The Blazers required all 32 of Anthony's points to get the win.

“I’ll tell you, we needed every bit of that,” Melo said postgame. “Every single point, we needed that tonight. Those guys just wasn’t trying to go away."

It was the first time Melo has scored 30+ points since scoring 37 points against the 76ers back on February 25, 2017 when he played for the Knicks.

"},{"title":"Big Time in the Bubble ","video":"_zTD0worlL2C","thumbnail":{"uri":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/short_form_video/hero/Melo8202020_1920x1080.jpg","alt":"Carmelo Anthony always comes up clutch","title":"Carmelo Anthony always comes up clutch"},"credit":"","published":1605999976,"caption":"

Carmelo Anthony is not afraid of the moment. When the game is on the line, having options outside of Dame and CJ is critical.

He showcased his clutches multiple times during the NBA restart, including two huge threes, both vs. the Grizzlies, first in the opening game and then again during the play-in game to to seal it.

He also had a dagger three against his former team, the Houston Rockets to help li

"},{"title":"Loyal to the Soil ","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/USATSI_14721300%20%281%29.jpg","credit":"","published":1606003203,"caption":"

Carmelo Anthony returns to the team that gave him another shot in the NBA and appears ready to accept any role and responsibility that the Blazers have for him.

After the season, it was clear that Melo wanted to keep playing, but wasn't clear where that might be.

"I pray that it can be Portland," Anthony said after the Trail Blazers first round exit in the playoffs. "Honestly, I think that I found a home in Portland. I got comfortable with the organization. I got comfortable with the guys on the team. They got comfortable with me. At this point in my career, I do think that's the best fit for me... I really hope it can be Portland at the end of the day."

So, now with the team's core in-tact, a roster revamped with additional pieces added in Robert Covington, Derrick Jones and the return of Rodney Hood, the Trail Blazers are ready to fight in the Western Conference.

"}]}

A look at Carmelo Anthony's top moments with the Trail Blazers