Knicks-Heat is Not the 1st Round Matchup the Knicks Want
By Jason McIntyre
How things have changed: Lin is out for the season, Amare’s gone too, and the Heat seem to be playing with no urgency late in the regular season.
New York and Mike Woodson would never admit it, but there’s no way they’d want any part of the Heat in the first round. Chicago’s deeper and has more talent, but LeBron and Wade are still the best 1-2 punch in the league (sorry, Durant and Westbrook). Chicago basically has the top seed sewn up, and the Knicks and Philly are currently tied for the 7th spot.
Your matchup to watch, besides LeBron vs. Melo: 21 Shump Street, rookie Iman Shumpert, vs. Dwyane Wade. Shumpert, New York’s best defensive player and a lock for the All-Rookie team, missed the earlier meeting.
The Knicks have found a way to play some inspired basketball at home on Sundays for the ABC crowd – they beat the Mavericks a couple months back and then the Bulls last Sunday in a thriller. Overall, they’ve won nine straight at the Garden. I’ll predict a loss today, though: Heat 97, Knicks 91. And yes, I’m aware the Heat have lost eight of nine on the road against teams with a winning record. Miami, which has lost six of 12 is only favored by three.