NEW YORK With backcourt mate Allan Houston out with a stomach virus, Latrell Sprewell scored 24 of his season-high 32 points in the first half to lead the New York Knicks to a 95-68 rout of the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

After stunning San Antonio at the United Center on Thursday, the young Bulls figured to have a chance against the Knicks with Houston and starting center Marcus Camby (groin) out of the lineup.

But Sprewell dashed those hopes by netting 13 points in the second quarter, when the Knicks outscored the Bulls 28-14 to take a commanding 55-36 halftime lead.

"We did a good job just playing defense for 48 minutes," Sprewell said. "I think the biggest thing was we had them down and then we come out in the third quarter and they don't score for the first six minutes."

Houston, the Knicks' leading scorer at 19.0 points per game, is expected to be back for Saturday's contest at Minnesota. He had played in 258 consecutive games dating to March 19, 1997, when he sat out a game against Philadelphia due to a similar stomach ailment.

Camby missed his fourth straight game but also may return against the Timberwolves.

Glen Rice scored 20 points and Kurt Thomas added 18 for New York, which has won three straight games since dropping four of five. The Knicks have yet to win four in a row this season.

"The confidence level was high," Rice said. "Any time you've got a key guy down, everyone realizes that they've got to raise their game up a notch, and tonight was a great team effort all the way around.

"Any time you get a team in here that you know you should beat, you've got to take care of business."

Ron Mercer scored 19 points for the Bulls, who have lost six of their last seven games and 12 of 14 on the road this season.

(Reuter)