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Knicks end Texas tour against Spurs

Mar 7, 2012 - 3:58 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Knicks will finish a tough two-day tour of Texas by taking on the Southwest Division-leading San Antonio Spurs.

The Knicks lost in Dallas on Tuesday, 95-85, falling to 0-2 on a four-game road trip.

Amare Stoudemire led New York with 26 points while pulling down seven boards against the reigning NBA champions. Jeremy Lin added 14 points and seven assists, and Steve Novak, an ex-Spur, notched 13 points off the bench on 4- of-8 shooting from three-point range as the Knicks lost their third straight road game.

Tyson Chandler, who received his championship ring in his return to Dallas, finished with six points and eight rebounds, while All-Star Carmelo Anthony had just six points on a dismal 2-of-12 shooting.

"They hit shots, we didn't," said Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni about the Mavericks run to close out the game. "Our guys got a little tired, I rode them a little bit. We got up one, then we got down three. I made a switch, switched the other guys back in and kind of fell apart."

The Spurs, who lead Dallas by 3 1/2 games in the Southwest, have had an uncharacteristically rocky start on a seven-game homestand. San Antonio, which traditionally dominates on its home floor, has dropped two of three to start the residency, including Sunday's 99-94 loss to Denver.

All-Star Tony Parker had 25 points and seven assists, while Tim Duncan contributed 14 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, who are 14-3 overall in the Alamo City.

"[Parker] was great. He did a great job of keeping us in the game, scoring and moving the ball like he has all year long," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said.

San Antonio swingman Manu Ginobili returned from a five-game absence due to an oblique strain and recorded eight points, five assists and four rebounds off the bench.

The Knicks have dropped eight straight and nine of their last 10 in San Antonio.