New York: After learning Amar’e Stoudemire was lost for the remainder of the regular season because of a knee injury, the New York Knicks went out yesterday and tried to show they could make up for his absence.
The Knicks routed the Utah Jazz 113-84, controlling the game most of the way despite missing Stoudemire as well as forward Carmelo Anthony, who was out for the third straight game with his own knee issue.
JR Smith scored 24 points to lead the Knicks (38-22), who won for the third time in their past four games. Steve Novak scored 20 points, including five 3-pointers, and Raymond Felton had 15 for New York.
Enes Kanter scored 14 points and Gordon Hayward had 13 for Utah (32-31), which was without injured forward Paul Millsap.
The Jazz finished their road trip 0-4 and have dropped seven of eight overall.
Elsewhere, there were plenty of things to like about the Memphis Grizzlies’ 96-85 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in FedExForum.
There was superb ball movement and unselfishness, with the Grizzlies scoring 38 baskets on 21 assists.
This, of course, led to extremely balanced scoring, with seven players in double figures, starting with point guard Mike Conley’s 22 points and ending with power forward Ed Davis’ near double-double of 12 points and nine rebounds.
There was the Grizzlies’ focus as they improved to 42-19 heading into an upcoming four-game, five-day West Coast road trip.
They took an 18-point lead into the fourth quarter and didn’t have many mental lapses the rest of the way.
In another match yesterday, the Brooklyn Nets took it to Atlanta in a 93-80 victory, snapping a streak of eight straight losses to the Hawks at Philips Arena dating to January 30, 2009.
The Hawks have lost five of their last six games. Brook Lopez had 18 points and nine rebounds, Andray Blatche also scored 18 and Deron Williams contributed 17 points for the Nets. Reggie Evans added nine rebounds.
Former Hawks guard Joe Johnson, booed every time he touched the ball, had a quiet night for the Nets with eight points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals.
Trevor Ariza scored 17 of his season-high 26 points in the second half and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Washington Wizards defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 104-87, handing Charlotte its 10th straight loss REUTERS
