Knicks stay on top despite Curry

NEW YORK - Agence France-Presse

Stephen Curry #30 of the Warriors is greeted by Draymond Green #23 after breaking the 50 point mark en route to a total of 54 on February 27, 2013. AFP photo

The New York Knicks withstood a dazzling 54-point display from Golden State’s Stephen Curry on Feb. 27 to post a 109-105 NBA victory over the Warriors at Madison Square Garden.

Curry’s points total was the highest in the league this season, surpassing the 52 of Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant against Dallas last month.

But his individual effort was not enough against a Knicks team that received 35 points from Carmelo Anthony and 26 off the bench from JR Smith.

Tyson Chandler contributed 16 points for New York and grabbed a career-best 28 rebounds.

Curry and the Warriors nearly claimed the victory despite the absence of David Lee, serving a one-game suspension for his role in an altercation with the Pacers’ Roy Hibbert at Indiana on Tuesday that included several players and saw the shoving match spill into the spectator area behind the basket.

Curry made 11 of his 13 attempts from three-point range, one short of the league single-game record. He added seven assists and six rebounds.

Carl Landry scored 15 points and Jarrett Jack chipped in 14 for the Warriors. Curry became the first player to score at least 50 points at Madison Square Garden since LeBron James did it with the Cavaliers in 2009.

“We closed out,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. “We made the defensive stops we had to make coming down the stretch.

“We made plays, but boy, you’ve got to tip your hat to Curry. He played great.”