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Knicks vs. Cavaliers final score: New York completes major comeback without Melo, 102-97

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Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

The superstar forward exited the game early with a right knee injury, but 70 bench points lifted the Knicks to an improbable road win.

Carmelo Anthony sustained a right knee injury that forced him out of Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the New York Knicks managed to mount a furious comeback without him and won on the road, 102-97, Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

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The Knicks trailed by as many as 22 points in the first half before stifling the Cavs' offense in the third, when they held Cleveland to just 22.2 percent from the field in and 0-for-4 from beyond the arc to get back in the game and close it out in the fourth.

Amare Stoudemire led way for New York (36-21) with 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting and added six rebounds and two assists. J.R. Smith added 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to help lift the Knicks.

Kyrie Irving put together a complete performance for the Cavs (20-40) with 22 points, six assists and five rebounds on 9-of-20 from the field and 2-of-5 from the three-point line.

New York shot 85.7 percent from the free throw line and won the rebounding margin, 40-31.

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