Baron Davis scored 13 points in his first start in place of Lin

Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points, his highest total in two months, and the New York Knicks beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 89-80, Monday night without injured Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin to increase their lead for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.

Shortly after learning Stoudemire was lost indefinitely with a bulging disk in his back, the Knicks opened a 2 1/2-game lead over the Bucks.

Baron Davis scored 13 points in his first start in place of Lin, who has a sore right knee. Tyson Chandler also had 13 and Iman Shumpert 11 as the Knicks overcame the absences of their second- and third-leading scorers.

The 48 wins a lot. Johnson and Knaus have five titles

There's still a target on Knaus' back. He knows that. Hendrick accepts that. There should be when you have a record like he does.



"It's definitely looked at more than any car out there," Hendrick said of the 48. "If you go by the rulebook, it says everybody's car will be looked at the same. The rulebook doesn't say just because you win you're going to get scrutinized more than anybody else."



Good point.



The 48 wins a lot. Johnson and Knaus have five titles and 55 wins since 2002. They have been so dominant that some claim they've ruined the sport, although it's hard to understand how success can do that when it doesn't in other sports.