To make things more interesting, both teams are currently on course to meet in the first round of the 2012 postseason, and fans can expect both teams to play with playoff-level intensity.
The Heat haven't been the same ever since All-Star break, particularly on the road. Their once impenetrable defense hasn't been as sharp, and their role players have failed them on many occasions. Miami's poor play has now cost them the top spot in the NBA's Eastern Conference, and they'll probably have to settle for the second seed come playoff time - they're currently trailing the first place Chicago Bulls by three and a half games.
"We need to play well because we haven't played well after the break on the road," James told reporters about the Heat's upcoming game against the Knicks. "I don't know if it's a statement game, but we want to play better than we have on the road. It's a good place to play knowing more than likely we'll play them in the first round."
Even though the Heat have struggled in the second half of the 2011/12 NBA season, they've made a few improvements in the past few weeks. For one, they're starting to tighten up their defense, holding seven of their last eight opponents under 100 points.
Miami's role players have also been playing a little better lately, putting up a combined 68 points during their April 13 encounter against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Heat are pretty tough to handle when their role players show up for games, and it'll be interesting to see if Heat coach Erik Spoelstra can get them to perform more consistently.
"The most important thing for us is we're trying to get an optimal level of play where we're playing at a high level," Spoelstra told reporters "We're not there yet, particularly on the road."
David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.
Sources:
Stats LLC, "Heat-Knicks Preview"
David J. Neal, "Miami Heat's game against New York Knicks a possible first-round preview"
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