Improved as they are, the Knicks haven't had very many blowout wins this season. Tonight in Phoenix, a combination of hot three-point shooting and a lackluster Suns squad were enough to secure a rare cakewalk of a victory. Amar'e Stoudemire, facing a...um...creative Phoenix lineup that matched him with the 6-foot-8 Grant Hill, had 23 points and 9 rebounds in his return to Phoenix. It was Raymond Felton, though, who really stole the show. He recorded his first career triple-double after delaying garbage time briefly in the fourth to check in and snatch his tenth rebound. Felton also had 11 assists and 23 points, including five three-pointers.
After the Knicks started taking care of the ball (they had 12 of their 18 turnovers in the game's first 18 minutes), that three-point shooting was really what generated their massive lead. Helping Felton from downtown were Shawne Williams (4-9 from range), Toney Douglas (3-5), and Bill Walker and Landry Fields, who had two threes apiece. New York as a team shot 17-33 and had sniped the game pretty much out of reach by midway through the third.
The blowout win meant that Knick fans were treated to some garbage time basketball featuring Anthony Randolph, Timofey Mozgov, Andy Rautins, and Roger Mason Jr. The only truly notable thing to take place in those wonderful minutes was a wonderful outburst by Mozgov. New York's Russian rookie got frustrated with some physical play by Robin Lopez (again, remember that we're talking about the final minutes of a 20+ point win) and elbowed him squarely in the face, earning an automatic ejection. It was terrific.
The Knicks now head to L.A. for a Sunday match-up with the Lakers. That one probably won't be this easy.
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