(Photo Credit: Nathaniel Butler)
The Miami HEAT knocked off the New York Knicks 99-93 Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. After trailing by 16 points, the HEAT rallied in the second half. The win was the HEAT's 14th in a row. The HEAT take on the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow at the Target Center.
Impact Performance of the Night: LeBron James led the way for the HEAT in their victory over the Knicks. James finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one humongous block. James score 10 points in the fourth quarter, six of which came on a pair of back-to-back three-pointers that tied the game for the HEAT. James also sealed the victory with a steal and breakaway dunk with just 23 seconds left. The slam gave the HEAT a six-point lead and their 14th straight victory.
The Deciding Run: The HEAT closed the game on a 12-6 run over the last five minutes. Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and James combined to score all 10 points during the spurt. While the closing mintues ultimately gave the HEAT the victory, it was a run at the end of the third that carried over into the beginning of the fourth quarter that made the victory possible. The HEAT had trailed by double digits for most of the first three quarters and found themselves down 77-67 with just 1:20 left in the third quarter. Over the next three minutes of game action he HEAT went on a 12-2 run, knotting things at 79. Back-to-back threes by James punctuated the flurry.
Play of the Game: With the HEAT leading by two in the fourth quarter, James made two consecutive plays that were critical to the HEAT’s cause. On the defensive end, James blocked Tyson Chandler on a layup attempt. After the securing the rebound, the HEAT missed a three-pointer, but James was able to swoop in, grab the offensive rebound and make the putback. The game went from possibly being tied to the HEAT leading by four. James’ individual brilliance and athleticism were on full display.
Sum It Up, Coach: Offensive Efficiency: 100.7; Defensive Efficiency: 98.5
Efficiency Rating:
Trend to Watch: Shane Battier might have flames coming out of his hands these days. He’s made 14 of his last 18 three-point attempts, including a 4-for-4 effort this afternoon. Battier’s ability to stretch the floor opens up many different options for the HEAT. When he’s hitting shots at a rate like this, it makes the HEAT almost unguardable. After the recent hot stretch, Battier is now shooting 43.9 percent from three-point range this season, which is a career-high.
The Takeaway: The HEAT were able to notch a big road win against a conference rival who had beaten them by a combined 40 points in the two previous games. Often times too much is made of regular season victories. There are no real “statements” that can be made the first week of March. However, it was nice to see the HEAT come away with a win after their slow start. The Knicks jumped out to a big lead early, but the HEAT were able to claw back with strong defense and three-point shooting. The team’s numbers in clutch situations continue to be astounding. Tonight’s furious close was as good as any all season considering the opponent and venue.
Notes: Dwyane Wade finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Chris Bosh added 16 points. Shane Battier scored 12 points off of the bench. The HEAT’s 14th straight victory ties a franchise record. Juwan Howard and Jarvis Varnado were inactive.
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