New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith has won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award. [Calvin Zhou / China Daily USA]

New York Knicks' shooting guard J.R. Smith, having formerly spent a season in China, won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award Monday.

The 27-year-old, who averaged 18.1 points to help the Knicks to the Atlantic Division title, received 484 points, getting 72 first-place votes, from a panel of 12 writers and broadcasters. He played 80 games, all from the bench, in this season.

Jamal Crawford of the Los Angeles Clippers finished second with 352 points, including 31 first-place votes, followed by Golden State's Jarrett Jack and Kevin Martin of Oklahoma City.

Smith returned to NBA from China in the middle of last season after having played the 2011-2012 season with CBA's Zhejiang team.

Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points, Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith added 19 as New York opened a 2-0 lead over Boston with an 87-71 victory Tuesday.

Raymond Felton added 16 points for the Knicks, who used a 27-4 run spanning halftime to blow it open and move halfway to their first series victory since the 2000 Eastern Conference semifinals. This is their first 2-0 lead since sweeping Toronto in the first round that year.

Paul Pierce scored 18 points for the Celtics, who will host Game 3 on Friday in their first home game since the Boston Marathon bombings.

Kevin Garnett had 12 points and 11 rebounds, but battled foul trouble for Boston.

Anthony followed his 36-point opener by making 8 of 13 shots in the second half to finish 11 of 24 for the game.

New York Knicks play against Boston Celtics in New York, April 23, 2013. [Calvin Zhoua / China Daily USA]