No-namers help New York Knicks build 13-point halftime lead over Utah Jazz

NEW YORK — Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are out for the New York Knicks.

Who needs household-name guys anyway?

Sparked by Steve Novak and Jeremy Lin, the Knicks are walloping the Utah Jazz 51-38 halfway through tonight's game at Madison Square Garden.

Stoudemire left the team to be with his family following the overnight death of his brother, who died in an automobile accident in Florida.

The Knicks then lost Anthony to a strained right groin early in this contest.

No worry. Lin, the second-year Harvard guard who torched the Nets for 25 points Saturday, has nine points and seven assists in his new starting role.

Novak came off the bench to score 10 points to lead the Knicks, who've lost 11 of 14 games.

Al Jefferson leads Utah with eight points, while Devin Harris and C.J. Miles each have seven.

But the Jazz are shooting just 41.7 percent and are struggling to execute against the Knicks' scrappy no-namers.

Paul Millsap, in particular, has struggled through a scoreless half for the Jazz, who have 12 of their next 17 games on the road after tonight.

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