Knicks prevail despite Carmelo’s absence

New York: J.R. Smith scored 24 points and the New York Knicks shook off the absence of Carmelo Anthony and the shock of Amare Stoudemire needing more knee surgery to rout the slumping Utah Jazz 113-84 on Saturday night.

The Knicks learned earlier on Saturday that Stoudemire will have right knee surgery that will sideline him approximately six weeks. But they still have plenty of scoring off the bench, with Steve Novak adding a season-high 20 points.

Alec Burks scored 14 points and Gordon Hayward had 13 for the Jazz, who completed a 0-4 road trip that dropped them into a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Utah played without starting forward Paul Millsap because of right knee inflammation.

Brook Lopez and Andray Blatche each scored 18 points, Deron Williams added 17 as Brooklyn won their third straight game by beating Atlanta. Al Horford finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawks, who seemed lethargic after losing in overtime at Boston on Friday. Atlanta has lost two straight and five of six.

Brooklyn had a better performance coming off their 17-point home victory over Washington on Friday in which Williams set the NBA record with nine three-pointers in a half and scored a season-high 42 points.

Lopez, who finished with nine rebounds, scored 14 points in the third, including a runner that gave Brooklyn their first 20-point lead.

Ty Lawson matched his season high with 32 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and Denver beat injury-depleted Minnesota to stretch their home winning streak to 13 games, their longest in 14 years.

Corey Brewer had 15 points, while Danilo Gallinari and Andre Iguodala added 11 apiece for the Nuggets, who have won eight in a row overall. Fuelled by their longest home winning streak since a 19-game run from January 28-April 20, 1989, the Nuggets ran their home record to 28-3, tying the Miami Heat for best in the league.

Mickael Gelabale scored 19 points for the Timberwolves, who were without Nikola Pekovic (abdominal strain), Kevin Love (broken hand), Andrei Kirilenko (strained left calf), Brandon Roy (knee surgery), Chase Budinger (knee) and Malcom Lee (knee).

J.J. Barea added 15 points for Minnesota, who lost for the seventh time in eight games.