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Knicks and Nets tangle at The Rock

Feb 12, 2011 - 3:43 PM (Sports Network) - Atlantic Division rivals clash at The Rock Saturday as the New York Knicks make the quick trip across the Hudson to take on the New Jersey Nets.

The Knicks have been struggling recently and fell for the fourth time in five games on Friday when Kobe Bryant shined brightly in the Lakers' only regular season visit to New York City, scoring 33 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles to a 113-96 win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Amare Stoudemire provided 24 points and 10 rebounds and Raymond Felton chipped in with 20 points and seven assists for the Knicks, who dropped the final two contests of a three-game homestand and now lead Philadelphia by just 1 1/2 games for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.

Wilson Chandler contributed 13 points, five rebounds and four assists in defeat while Danilo Gallinari added 14 points and six boards for New York, which is trying to snap an ugly streak of nine straight losing seasons but fell back to .500 (26-26) on the year.

"We're not playing real smart, we're not hitting shots, obviously," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. "There were stretches we played pretty well. Kobe definitely took a shot at our game as far as he could."

The Nets, meanwhile, won their second straight contest on Friday in Charlotte when Brook Lopez finished with a game-high 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as New Jersey held off a late Bobcats run to top Charlotte, 94-89.

Devin Harris added 16 points and eight assists while Kris Humphries supplied 15 points and 14 boards in a reserve role for New Jersey, which has won the two straight on the heels of a three-game slide. Sasha Vujacic added 10 points off the bench for the Nets.

New Jersey hasn't won three straight since a four-game run from Jan. 31-Feb. 7, 2009.

The Nets, who are 13-13 at home, fell in MSG earlier this season, 111-100, despite a season-high 36 points from Lopez.