As expected, the game between the two Eastern Conference rivals was tightly contested, with only a point separating the two teams by the end of the third quarter. However, Miami turned up the heat in the final quarter, stifling the Knicks with their defense.
LeBron James led the Heat against the Knicks, putting up 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. Dwyane Wade was right behind him, finishing with 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists of his own.
"This is obviously a lot of our favorite places to play, but I think it came at a good time for us," Wade told reporters after the game. "We were struggling, as in to play a complete game on the road, and what better place to come in and focus then here, where this team has been playing well and can embarrass you if you don't play your game."
Even though the Heat have struggled a bit in their recent games, their defense seems to be improving. They did a pretty good job defensively against the Knicks, holding them to 43 percent from the field. Their perimeter defense was just as effective, limiting the Knicks to 30 percent shooting from long range.
However, Miami's role players weren't able to duplicate their April 13 performance against the Charlotte Bobcats, putting up only 20 points combined against the Knicks.
Even though Miami's defense is back where it should be, their role players continue to struggle. The Heat's weak bench cost them big against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA finals, and it looks like they might be a liability come playoff time.
The Heat's next game will be against the New Jersey Nets on April 15.
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:
Associated Press, "LeBron James, Dwyane Wade power Heat past Knicks and to division title"
Player and game information from ESPN.com
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