Heat-Knicks Preview

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted May 03 2012 12:47PM

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) Amare Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert are sidelined. Jeremy Lin isn't back yet.

So where are the New York Knicks supposed to find enough offense to compete with the Miami Heat, and avoid setting a new NBA record for postseason futility?

"I don't know. We've got to figure that out," Carmelo Anthony said Wednesday. "Some way, somehow, everybody has to do it."

The Knicks haven't been able to solve the Heat no matter who plays, dropping the first two games in this first-round series and all three during the regular season.

And if they are hoping to get an advantage from playing at home, well, they can probably forget that. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade thrive at Madison Square Garden and will be extra fired up Thursday night to try and move the Heat within one victory of the second round.

"It's going to add a lot. We understand the intensity is going to raise even more," James said. "I've had an opportunity to play a lot of games in that building, but none quite as big as these. This is the Mecca of basketball and it comes with a little more incentive. There's a lot of history in this building. But we understand what we're there for."

The Heat won Game 1 by 33 points and were never seriously challenged in the fourth quarter of a 104-94 victory on Monday, sending New York to its record-tying 12th straight postseason loss. The frustration got to Stoudemire, who punched the case around a fire extinguisher after the game and cut his hand on some glass.

He had a muscle repaired by a surgeon Tuesday and met with his teammates Wednesday, where interim coach Mike Woodson said he was "very apologetic." With his hand wrapped, Stoudemire said there was a "great chance" he could play in Game 4 on Sunday, though the Knicks are listing him as doubtful.

And Stoudemire believes the Knicks can hang in there until he is back.

"We've been faced with adversity all year," he said. "I went out. Carmelo went out, Jeremy went out, Jared Jeffries went out, so we've been dealing with adversity all year. It's been a heck of a year for us, but I do feel like we have the players that are so professional, so focused on the game, that we have a chance to win Game 3."

Stoudemire missed 13 games down the stretch with a bulging disk in his back, and the Knicks won nine of them, so there is the theory they're better without him. Anthony moved to the power forward spot and dominated slower defenders on his way to averaging nearly 30 points in April and winning the Eastern Conference player of the month award.

But one of the losses was to the Heat on April 15 in Miami's lone trip to Madison Square Garden. Anthony scored 42 points but was on fumes in the fourth quarter, unable to get much of a rest because the offense stalled when he went out. He then managed only two baskets in the fourth quarter while defended by James, and the Heat pulled away for a 93-85 win.

Anthony said he's prepared to play as long as interim coach Mike Woodson needs him, but knows that one man is not going to beat the Heat.

"They make it tough out there on the basketball court," Anthony said. "Beating one guy, I've got to see two more guys."

Like all teams that fall behind 2-0, the Knicks have tried to say that Miami has simply won its two home games, and now it's their turn. But James and Wade treat MSG like it's their home court - as the Knicks once hoped it would be.

James averages 29.9 points there, second behind Kobe Bryant among active players. Wade is fourth with 27.3, according to STATS, LLC.

Neither was interested in coming to New York as a free agent in 2010, but they love to visit.

"It's no secret that besides the AmericanAirlines Arena, it's is my favorite place to play," Wade said. "I look forward to how this team is going to respond in a very hostile environment with the lights as bright as they can be."

Shumpert tore a knee ligament in Game 1 and had surgery Wednesday, but Lin played in a full-court, 3-on-3 scrimmage Wednesday and still hopes to return during the series. If Stoudemire can make it back, too, the Knicks could be close to full strength.

But unless they get some unexpected contributions Thursday from a still undetermined starting lineup, it may be too late.

"Nobody never said it was going to be easy," Anthony said. "Guys that haven't been playing need to step up and get ready for the challenge that's out there facing us tomorrow, and we're going to need everybody."

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AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.

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Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

James, Heat pull away to 3-0 lead over Knicks

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted May 04 2012 10:49AM

NEW YORK (AP) LeBron James had more turnovers and fouls than baskets, and still the Miami Heat were ahead.

James didn't like having to sit, but he sure liked what he saw.

"I'm not a guy who's in foul trouble a lot, so it was difficult for me to sit down early in the third," he said. "But we have a great supporting cast. Our defense was tremendous in the third quarter. It allowed us to go into the fourth quarter with a lead."

Then James came back and increased it.

James scored 32 points, including eight straight to start the fourth quarter and break open the game, and the Heat took a 3-0 series lead, sending the New York Knicks to an NBA postseason-record 13th straight loss, 87-70 on Thursday night.

James had 17 points in the final period for the Heat, who held the short-handed Knicks to eight field goals in the second half and will go for the sweep Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

"He just has to stay with it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He had some turnovers, he had some mistakes but he was able to keep his head in it."

Wade added 20 points for the Heat and Mario Chalmers had 19, hitting consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter when the Heat finally brought some beauty to what had been an ugly game.

Wade was forced to go the whole third quarter while James was limited to just 4 1/2 minutes by fouls. Wade had 12 points in the period, knowing the two-time MVP would be coming back with fresh legs.

"I thought probably sitting over there that whole third quarter was probably good for him, because he came right in right away and got right at it. He didn't waste any time," Wade said. "He's never really in foul trouble, so I thought it was good for him."

Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points but shot 7 of 23 for the Knicks, who are playing without Amare Stoudemire, Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert and needed a super effort from Anthony that he didn't come close to providing.

"When you can't score the basketball, that makes the game extremely hard, no matter how much defense we go down there and play," Anthony said.

The Knicks broke the record set by Memphis from 2004-06. They haven't won a playoff game since April 29, 2001, Game 3 of a best-of-five series against Toronto.

No NBA team has overcome a 3-0 deficit.

"It's a tough one. It's an uphill battle, but it's one we have to go through," center Tyson Chandler said. "Obviously no one wants to be in a hole 0-3, you know in the playoffs especially against a tough team like (Miami), but that's the way it is and we've got to keep fighting."

Chris Bosh had nine points and 10 rebounds hours after the birth of the couple's first child. He flew to New York with the Heat on Wednesday, then quickly hopped on a flight back to Miami after learning his wife was in labor. He returned Thursday afternoon following the birth of his son, arriving at the arena about 30 minutes before the game.

In a sloppy game, Miami went 10 minutes without a field goal in the second half, followed by the Knicks managing just three baskets in the third quarter.

Then James, who finished with eight turnovers, took over.

He came off the bench to start the fourth after sitting most of the third in foul trouble, quickly providing the best offensive stretch in the game. He nailed a 3-pointer, followed his own miss, then hit again from behind the arc, turning the Heat's two-point lead into a 66-56 cushion with 10:36 remaining.

"He was in foul trouble," Bosh said. "He was struggling a little bit and he had pretty much the whole third quarter to think about what was going on. I think that was good for him. I think it really built a desire in him a little bit and then he made sure we got off to a great start in the fourth quarter which was very important for us."

The Heat put it away midway through the period, when Wade made a jumper before Chalmers hit twice in a row from behind the arc to make it 77-62 with 5:40 to play.

Fans started leaving, realizing there was little hope of the Knicks making up 15 points on anybody with the lineup they have.

The Knicks shot 32 percent, getting a 5-for-18 night from JR Smith. New York shot 4 of 20 from 3-point range, with Smith missing all five of his attempts.

During one hideous stretch, Baron Davis' jumper gave the Knicks a three-point lead with 8:46 left in the third, but they didn't hit again for 7 minutes - and even that make was ugly. Anthony flung in a shot off the backboard while being fouled and tied the score at 51.

"Offensively we just didn't have it," Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson said. "We were so stagnant and I got to take the heat for that."

Lin is practicing again after knee surgery but is not ready to return. Shumpert tore a knee ligament in Game 1, and Stoudemire is hoping the hand injury he sustained punching a fire extinguisher case following Game 2 is healed enough to let him play Sunday.

Desperate to see playoff success, Knicks fans were loud early, chanting "Beat the Heat! Beat the Heat!" but the Knicks gave them little to cheer about once the game started. They made one basket in the first 5 minutes and fell behind by as many as nine points, but then shut down the Heat from the field after Bosh's basket with 4:59 left and tied it at 19 by period's end.

James came in averaging 29.9 points at the current Madison Square Garden, trailing only Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant among opponents who played here at least 10 games. Wade was just behind in fourth with 27.3 per game.

Yet the superstars both started 1 of 6 from the field, James seeming particularly frustrated with the officials and even teammates. Once a fan favorite at the Garden - Knicks fans hoped he would sign here as a free agent in 2010 - he was booed, mocked and cursed by the crowd Thursday.

He eventually would get on the roll he is accustomed to here.

The Heat won the opener by 33 points and took Game 2 104-94 on Monday, when the Knicks' biggest problems came after the game. Stoudemire punched a fire extinguisher case in the arena and badly cut his left hand, needing surgery Tuesday to repair a muscle. He sat on bench with his arm in a sling.

Steve Novak started for him but took only two shots and missed them both.

NOTES: Chandler was honored in a pregame ceremony for winning the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award. ... The Knicks also held a moment of silence for former coach and scout Andrew "Fuzzy" Levane, who died earlier this week at 92.

Notebook: Heat 87, Knicks 70

Posted Thursday May 3, 2012 10:56PM

By Adam Zagoria, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Playing in his first playoff game at Madison Square Garden, LeBron James scored 17 of his game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter and Dwyane Wade tallied 12 of his 20 in the third as the Miami Heat pushed the Knicks to the brink of elimination with an 87-70 victory in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.

The Heat are up 3-0 in the series and will look to close it out Sunday at the Garden.

No team in NBA history has ever come back from such a deficit to win a series.

Playing without Amar'e Stoudemire (lacerated hand), the Knicks lost their NBA-record 13th straight playoff game, breaking the old mark of 12 set by the Memphis Grizzlies. If the Knicks lose Sunday, it will mark their third straight sweep dating back to 2004. They haven't won a playoff game since April, 2001.

Chris Bosh flew in from Miami on Thursday after the birth of his son, Jackson, and arrived at the Garden just in time to post nine points and 10 rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony, who had 42 points in a loss to the Heat at the Garden April 15, went 7-for-22 for 22 points.

QUOTABLE: "My mindset was to make plays, make plays for our team to try to help us win down the stretch. I was able to come in and make some plays to help us win." -- James

THE STAT: The Knicks were outscored 29-14 in the fourth quarter and 51-30 in the second half.

TURNING POINT: After the Knicks took a 40-29 second-quarter lead, they were outscored 22-6 into the third period when Miami took a 51-46 advantage. Wade capped that spurt with a personal 9-2 mini-run in which he hit two 3-pointers.

QUOTABLE II: "Offensively, we just didn't have it. We were so stagnant. I gotta take the heat for that."
-- Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson

WHO'S HOT: James went to the bench with 7:23 left in the third when he picked up his fourth foul. He sat for the rest of the period before scoring the first eight points of the fourth, including two 3-pointers, to push Miami's lead to 66-56.

WHO'S NOT: Steve Novak got the start at small forward for the Knicks and was completely ineffective, going 0-for-2 for no points. After scoring nine points in the first, Landry Fields went scoreless in the second half on 0-for-5 shooting.

QUOTABLE III: "When he was able to go back in there with four fouls he made big plays on both ends of the court."
-- Erik Spoelstra on James

NOTABLE: Stoudemire sat on the Knicks bench with his lacerated hand in a sling. He said Wednesday there's a "great chance" he would play in Game 4 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. "I think that's going to be a doctor's decision there," Woodson said.

NOTABLE II: Miami posted just its second win against a playoff team since mid-March. They beat the Knicks at the Garden April 15.

QUOTABLE IV: "'Bron came in and got at it right away. He had an unbelievable fourth quarter."
-- Wade

INSIDE THE ARENA: Kate Upton, Kanye West, Justin Tuck of the Giants and D'Brickashaw Ferguson of the Jets sat courtside.

UP NEXT: Game 4, Sunday, 3:30 p.m.

• Heat: Curry, Harris
• Knicks: Lin, Shumpert, Stoudemire

• Heat: --
• Knicks: Anthony

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #24 Mike Callahan, #32 Eddie F. Rush, #16 David Guthrie
• Attendance: 19763
• Duration: 2:34