As Carmelo Anthony sat on the Oklahoma City bench in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, waiting for the game against the Knicks to begin, the arena went dark.

Anthony’s return to New York for the first time since he was traded to the Thunder in September had been highly anticipated, in part because no one could be quite sure what kind of reception he would get from Knicks fans who watched him score a lot of points over the years without much team success to show for it.

When the pregame blackout at the Garden suddenly cut away to a video tribute to Anthony, it caught him by surprise, he said. A nearly minute-long reflection on his high points with the organization was the Knicks’ way of saying thank you, and the crowd produced a chorus of cheers.

“That goes a long way with myself,” Anthony said. “It was very much appreciated.”

“Thank you Melo,” said the message from the Knicks in the video. Thank you, too, said the cheering fans.