Fibroso
02-28-2011, 02:25 PM
New York Knicks take down Miami Heat, 91-86, as Chauncey Billups, Amar'e Stoudemire step up late
BY Frank Isola
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Originally Published:Sunday, February 27th 2011, 10:59 PM
Updated: Monday, February 28th 2011, 2:02 AM
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/02/28/alg_knicks_anthony_basket_drive.jpg Simmons/News
Carmelo Anthony (29 points) sets the table, then Chauncey Billups (b.) lives up to his nickname, Mr. Big Shot, by sinking a 27-foot three-pointer with 1:01 to play to give Knicks the lead for good.
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/02/28/amd_knicks_billups.jpg Simmons/News
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/02/28/amd_knicks_stoudemire_layup.jpg Simmons/News
Amar'e Stoudemire's block of LeBron James with eight seconds remaining protects New York's late one-point lead.
Miami - The intensity level and the final result were reminiscent of the great Knicks-Heat playoff wars of the late '90s.
And that moment of truth, when it came down to needing one defensive play to preserve a victory in their home away from home, the Knicks found a way. Some things never change.
The Knicks overcame a 15-point first-half deficit and in the final 10 seconds Amer'e S todumaire and Carmelo Anthony gavelebron James theAlonzo Mourning treatment, devouring Miami's best player as Mike D'antonie's revamped squad stunned the Heat, 91-86, Sunday night in what can only be described as its biggest win of the season.
"I think it's the best," Stoudemire said. "Especially with the way we won."
No doubt, Patrick Eiwing, Larry Jhonson and Allen Houston would have been proud of the way the Knicks outscored Miami 13-2 in the final 2:52 and took the lead when Mr. Big Shot himself, Chauncie Billups, buried a long 3-pointer over Dwyane Wade with 1:01 to play.
But the best moment came in the last 12.7 seconds when the Knicks - the defensively challenged Knicks - were leading by one and LeBron James had the ball in his hands. Anthony, who defended LeBron over the last seven minutes, stayed with him as James drove to his left. James was in position for a layup but Stoudemire left his man and swatted away the potential go-ahead shot.
"I knew what he was going to do," Stoudemire said. "Even if he had gone up for a dunk I would have contested that shot. I have a few game-winning blocks in my career. But Monday night was great for us considering that it was a big game."
The play was Stoudemire's signature moment as a Knick and the fact that it came against James, the player who didn't want to come to New York as a free agent last summer, made it that much more significant.
"(Amar'e) is definitely a good weak side shot-blocker," said James, who also misfired on an open 3-pointer with three seconds left that could have tied the game.
The Knicks won it with their defense, which is somewhat shocking since they surrendered 34 first-quarter points. But over the last three quarters, Miami scored just 52 points, including 35 in the second half.
LeBron scored 27 but he was 1-for-5 on 3-pointers and committed five turnovers. Wade was limited to 12 points on 5-for-15 shooting and missed on all three of his 3-point tries, including one late in the second quarter that would have given Miami a 54-36 lead. It was a huge miss because the Knicks answered with 16 straight points, starting with Billups' 3-pointer with 3:44 to play and culminating in Bill Walker banking in a three at the buzzer.
"That was huge for us," D'Antoni said after the Knicks improved to 30-27 overall and 2-1 since the Anthony trade. "That turned the game without a doubt."
Miami led for much of the second half, building a seven-point third-quarter lead and going ahead 84-78 with 3:05 to play on James' driving layup. But the Heat's last seven possessions must have felt like Pat Riley was reliving a nightmare from the 1999 playoffs; two free throws, four missed shots and two turnovers.
The Knicks over that same stretch made two of three shots with one turnover and went 8-for-8 from the foul line, including four from Shawne Williams.
The pivotal sequence came after Billups' runner in the lane with 1:43 to play cut the deficit to 84-82. Wade then missed a baseline jumper, which led to Billups' go-ahead three on which Wade was caught off guard. On the Heat's next possession, Billups stole Chris Bosh's pass.
"He didn't get that name for no reason," said Anthony, who led the Knicks with 29 points. "When it counted he hit the biggest three out there."
And then Anthony and Stoudemire combined on the biggest block out there as the Knicks won their second straight game against Miami, which could set the stage for a renewal of their great playoff battles from yesteryear.
"It would be great for the NBA," Stoudemire said. "You never know how the standings will play out. We're just trying to make our mark and improve as a team. We'll see how it ends up."
BY Frank Isola
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Originally Published:Sunday, February 27th 2011, 10:59 PM
Updated: Monday, February 28th 2011, 2:02 AM
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/02/28/alg_knicks_anthony_basket_drive.jpg Simmons/News
Carmelo Anthony (29 points) sets the table, then Chauncey Billups (b.) lives up to his nickname, Mr. Big Shot, by sinking a 27-foot three-pointer with 1:01 to play to give Knicks the lead for good.
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/02/28/amd_knicks_billups.jpg Simmons/News
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/02/28/amd_knicks_stoudemire_layup.jpg Simmons/News
Amar'e Stoudemire's block of LeBron James with eight seconds remaining protects New York's late one-point lead.
Miami - The intensity level and the final result were reminiscent of the great Knicks-Heat playoff wars of the late '90s.
And that moment of truth, when it came down to needing one defensive play to preserve a victory in their home away from home, the Knicks found a way. Some things never change.
The Knicks overcame a 15-point first-half deficit and in the final 10 seconds Amer'e S todumaire and Carmelo Anthony gavelebron James theAlonzo Mourning treatment, devouring Miami's best player as Mike D'antonie's revamped squad stunned the Heat, 91-86, Sunday night in what can only be described as its biggest win of the season.
"I think it's the best," Stoudemire said. "Especially with the way we won."
No doubt, Patrick Eiwing, Larry Jhonson and Allen Houston would have been proud of the way the Knicks outscored Miami 13-2 in the final 2:52 and took the lead when Mr. Big Shot himself, Chauncie Billups, buried a long 3-pointer over Dwyane Wade with 1:01 to play.
But the best moment came in the last 12.7 seconds when the Knicks - the defensively challenged Knicks - were leading by one and LeBron James had the ball in his hands. Anthony, who defended LeBron over the last seven minutes, stayed with him as James drove to his left. James was in position for a layup but Stoudemire left his man and swatted away the potential go-ahead shot.
"I knew what he was going to do," Stoudemire said. "Even if he had gone up for a dunk I would have contested that shot. I have a few game-winning blocks in my career. But Monday night was great for us considering that it was a big game."
The play was Stoudemire's signature moment as a Knick and the fact that it came against James, the player who didn't want to come to New York as a free agent last summer, made it that much more significant.
"(Amar'e) is definitely a good weak side shot-blocker," said James, who also misfired on an open 3-pointer with three seconds left that could have tied the game.
The Knicks won it with their defense, which is somewhat shocking since they surrendered 34 first-quarter points. But over the last three quarters, Miami scored just 52 points, including 35 in the second half.
LeBron scored 27 but he was 1-for-5 on 3-pointers and committed five turnovers. Wade was limited to 12 points on 5-for-15 shooting and missed on all three of his 3-point tries, including one late in the second quarter that would have given Miami a 54-36 lead. It was a huge miss because the Knicks answered with 16 straight points, starting with Billups' 3-pointer with 3:44 to play and culminating in Bill Walker banking in a three at the buzzer.
"That was huge for us," D'Antoni said after the Knicks improved to 30-27 overall and 2-1 since the Anthony trade. "That turned the game without a doubt."
Miami led for much of the second half, building a seven-point third-quarter lead and going ahead 84-78 with 3:05 to play on James' driving layup. But the Heat's last seven possessions must have felt like Pat Riley was reliving a nightmare from the 1999 playoffs; two free throws, four missed shots and two turnovers.
The Knicks over that same stretch made two of three shots with one turnover and went 8-for-8 from the foul line, including four from Shawne Williams.
The pivotal sequence came after Billups' runner in the lane with 1:43 to play cut the deficit to 84-82. Wade then missed a baseline jumper, which led to Billups' go-ahead three on which Wade was caught off guard. On the Heat's next possession, Billups stole Chris Bosh's pass.
"He didn't get that name for no reason," said Anthony, who led the Knicks with 29 points. "When it counted he hit the biggest three out there."
And then Anthony and Stoudemire combined on the biggest block out there as the Knicks won their second straight game against Miami, which could set the stage for a renewal of their great playoff battles from yesteryear.
"It would be great for the NBA," Stoudemire said. "You never know how the standings will play out. We're just trying to make our mark and improve as a team. We'll see how it ends up."