Knicks Top Mavericks to Stay Unbeaten

Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points and the New York Knicks improved their best start in nearly two decades to 4-0 with a 104-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.

JR Smith added 22 points for the Knicks, the only unbeaten team remaining in the NBA. They hadn't been perfect after four games since the 1993-94 team started 7-0 en route to the NBA Finals.

The Knicks averaged 104.7 points and allowed just 85.3 per game while routing Miami and sweeping a home-and-home series from Philadelphia to start the season, but didn't seize control of this one for good until nearly the midpoint of the fourth quarter.

O.J. Mayo scored 23 points for the Mavericks, who had their three-game winning streak snapped and lost to the Knicks for just the fourth time in the last 22 meetings.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)