Warriors Whip Knicks Behind Curry, Lee
OAKLAND (CBS / AP) -- Stephen Curry scored 26 points, David Lee had 21 and the Golden State Warriors routed the New York Knicks 92-63 on Monday night for their most lopsided win of the season.
Almost two weeks after his 54-point masterpiece at Madison Square Garden, Curry shared the spotlight with his co-captain in front of a sellout crowd announced at 19,596. He was 4 for 7 from 3-point range, and Lee finished with 10 rebounds and eight assists after helping the Warriors go ahead by 27 points in the third quarter.
Carmelo Anthony had 14 points and 10 rebounds after missing New York's previous three games because of nagging right knee, and J.R. Smith scored nine points before he was ejected in the third quarter for a flagrant foul. Anthony was 4 for 15 from the floor as the Knicks shot 27 percent in the opener of a five-game West Coast trip.
It was the lowest scoring output for the Knicks this season.
New York withstood Curry's career high in points in that memorable 109-105 win over the Warriors on Feb. 27. Curry received some help for the rematch—and from a familiar Knicks face.
Lee served a one-game suspension during that game in New York for his role in a scrum against Indiana and also missed Saturday's loss against Milwaukee because of a bruised right knee. He wore a white wrap around the knee against the Knicks but showed no major limitations.
Curry made his first three 3-pointers and had 11 points in the first 6:14 of the game. He helped the Warriors take a 23-14 that incensed Knicks coach Mike Woodson.
After scoring only four points in the first quarter of his 54-point performance, Curry appeared on his way to another big night. New York briefly began trapping Curry off pick-and-rolls, and everybody from Anthony to center Tyson Chandler chased the diminutive guard all over the perimeter.
Curry still confused the Knicks more often than not, getting them to switch or go underneath screens for no apparent reason. He missed his last two shots in the quarter before coming on strong again in the second, hitting a pull-up 3 over Raymond Felton and finding Klay Thompson for another 3 during a 23-7 run that put the Warriors ahead 49-32. Thompson finished with 23 points.
New York struggled in large part because its leading scorer did, too.
Anthony opened the game 2 of 10 from the floor and showed little of his usual burst or bruising style. He also took several contested or difficult jumpers, especially once the Warriors took control.
With Curry commanding so much of the attention, Lee led the way in the third quarter. He had a putback layup and a fast-break dunk during a 17-3 spurt that put the game away.
Smith, who started the second half, capped Golden State's run with a flagrant-2 foul for coming down hard with two hands on Harrison Barnes' layup attempt, swiping the rookie's head. Barnes made 1 of 2 free throws, and Thompson hit another jumper that gave Golden State a 67-40 lead.
Smith protested the video review by lead official Joe Crawford, then jogged off the court as Warriors fans peppered him with jeers. A few minutes later, Woodson pulled Anthony out, though he returned for a few minutes midway through the fourth with New York down 20.
NOTES: Golden State's previous most lopsided win of the season was a 115-93 victory at Atlanta on Dec. 15. ... The Knicks announced that Amare Stoudemire had surgery on his right knee. He's expected to miss six weeks. ... Knicks reserve F Rasheed Wallace traveled with the team and will do his rehabilitation on the road. Wallace walked around the arena on crutches. Woodson said Wallace is still trying to return in the playoffs. ... The Warriors have won 10 of the last 11 games against the Knicks in Oakland.
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