Smith lifts short-handed Knicks past Jazz, 90-83, to end trip

SALT LAKE CITY – J.R. Smith scored 20 points, Raymond Felton had 19 and the short-handed New York Knicks defeated the Utah Jazz 90-83 Monday night, snapping a four-game losing streak.

The Knicks (39-26) dropped games at Golden State, Denver, Portland and the Los Angeles Clippers by an average margin of 20 points, but salvaged the last game of their trip with the gutsy win over the turnover-prone Jazz (38-27).

New York remains atop the Atlantic Division and stayed a game ahead of the Nets for the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Smith had just two points at halftime on 1-of-6 shooting but got in the lane and to the line, making nine of 10 free throws and a 20-footer with 2:36 remaining that sealed it as the Jazz went cold.