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Stoudemire's return can't help Knicks

Amare Stoudemire's return from a back injury didn't help the playoff-bound New York Knicks, who were stunned, 98-90, by the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Friday night.

   Amare Stoudemire's return from a back injury didn't help the playoff-bound New York Knicks, who were stunned, 98-90, by the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Friday night.

Stoudemire had missed New York's previous 13 games with a bulging disk. But even with him in the lineup, the Knicks couldn't handle the Cavs, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the fourth time in 19 games. The Knicks are a half-game ahead of the 76ers.

Stoudemire finished with 15 points, and Carmelo Anthony had 12 before sitting out the fourth quarter.

Manny Harris had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Cavs, who shut down center Anderson Varejao for the remainder of the season because he has a broken right wrist.

Cleveland rookie Kyrie Irving scored 21 in his second game back from a shoulder injury.

Hawks clip Celtics

Joe Johnson scored 30 points, and Atlanta edged the shorthanded Boston Celtics, 97-92, to take a step toward landing home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The Hawks (38-25) are in line to be the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, and the Celtics (37-27) are on track to be No. 5.

Boston left Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Mickael Pietrus at home with injuries, and Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce did not play.

Grizzlies down Bobcats

Former Episcopal Academy star Gerald Henderson tied a career high with 32 points for host Charlotte, but the Bobcats' franchise-worst losing streak reached 19 games with an 85-80 loss to Memphis on the 25th anniversary of team owner Michael Jordan's scoring an NBA playoff-record 63 points against Boston.

Fisher's ouster sought

The NBA union's executive committee has requested the resignation of president Derek Fisher.

The National Basketball Players Association said in a statement on its Twitter feed Friday that the executive committee voted, 8-0, Wednesday that it had lost confidence in Fisher's ability to lead.

"The Executive Committee based its decision on numerous instances over the past six months, where Fisher engaged in conduct detrimental to the union, including acting in contravention of the players' best interests, during collective bargaining, declining to follow the NBPA Constitution, and failing to uphold the duties of the Union President," the statement said.

The veteran guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder has been the union's president since 2006. Fisher said he takes his job seriously.

- Associated Press