To make things even better for the Heat, Amare Stoudemire won't be able to suit up for Game 3, due to a hand injury. Frustrated with the way things have gone so far in the series, Stoudemire punched the glass casing covering a fire extinguisher on his way to the locker room after Game 2, picking up some pretty nasty cuts in the process. He'll definitely be missed by the Knicks on Thursday.
The Heat were inconsistent on the road during the second half of the 2011/12 NBA season, but they should be fine against the shorthanded Knicks. With Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert sidelined, the Heat should be able to punish the Knicks inside the paint, and I expect a solid performance from Chris Bosh.
Offensively, the Heat have played well so far in the playoffs, but their defense wavered in Game 2, allowing the Knicks to shoot 49 percent from the field. Luckily for them, their offense was able to pick up the slack, but they certainly don't want to get comfortable with playing sloppy defense.
If the Heat take a 3-0 lead in the series, the Knicks chances of mounting a comeback are slim to none. And there is no question they'll bring their A-game on Thursday. The Heat should be up to the task though, and I expect another dominant display.
"It's going to add a lot," LeBron James told reporters about the Heat's upcoming contest. "We understand the intensity is going to rise even more. 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."
Sources:
Associated Press, "Heat-Knicks Preview"
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