MIAMI -- American Airlines Arena was abuzz with excitement when the 47-26 New York Knicks brought the NBA's current longest active winning streak (8 games) to South Beach for a showdown with the 58-16 Miami Heat.
The Heat were protecting a streak of their own -- 17 straight wins at the American Airlines Arena -- and this duel came barely a week after Miami's 27-game roll was snapped by the Bulls in Chicago.
When the smoke cleared, the Knicks scored a 102-90 victory, pushing their regular season series lead to 3-1.
Carmelo Anthony, one of the best pure scorers in the NBA, tied a career-high 50 points on 18-for-26 shooting, including 7-of-10 from beyond the 3-point arc.
The Heat defended Anthony well, often with a hand in his face and forcing him to rely on jab steps and jumpshots. But despite the best effort of Shane Battier and company, Anthony's shots fell.
Chris Bosh led Miami with 23 points. Mike Miller added 18 points and eight rebounds. JR Smith came off the bench to add 14 points.
Tyson Chandler returned to the Knicks lineup after a long hiatus with a neck injury. Despite limited minutes, Kenyon Martin's contributions were a huge lift off the bench with nine points, six rebounds, and tough interior defense.
Miami chose to rest starters Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Mario Chalmers to help them recover from nagging injuries as they regroup to make a deep playoff run. James and Wade were often shown on camera, watching helplessly as Anthony torched every Miami defender who attempted to slow him down. (RS)
Comments
Share your thoughts on the above article by Raman Sharma.