Heat Conclude Homestand Against Surging Knicks
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportDirect) – The Miami Heat conclude their season-long 7-game homestand looking to make it six wins out of seven.
The New York Knicks are working their way up the standings with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis alternating strong performances.
The Knicks will try to run their winning streak to five straight when they visit the Heat on Monday.
Anthony began the winning streak with 29 points and 13 rebounds in a win over New Orleans on Nov. 15 and stepped up again with 25 points as New York held off the Oklahoma City Thunder to pick up consecutive win No. 3 on Friday.
Porzingis, the 7-3 rookie from Latvia, went for a season-high 29 points and 11 rebounds in Tuesday's win over Charlotte and put together one of the best games of his young career with 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 14 rebounds and seven blocks in a 107-102 triumph over Houston on Saturday.
The Heat will counter those two with their own stars at the forward spots – Luol Deng and Chris Bosh – as they attempt to win for the sixth time in seven games.
Miami is closing out a seven-game homestand with the Knicks and overcame a 17-point deficit to knock off Philadelphia on Saturday.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, MSG (New York), Sun Sports (Miami)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (8-6): Anthony is becoming more comfortable playing alongside Porzingis and seemed to recognize that his lanky teammate had the hot hand on Saturday.
Anthony attempted a season-low 10 field goals while plagued by foul trouble but absorbed defenders while Porzingis and guard Arron Afflalo took over on offense.
Porzingis and Anthony showed off the type of dynamic duo they could become in one sequence on Saturday, when Porzingis blocked a shot and Anthony turned the opportunity into a transition 3-pointer.
ABOUT THE HEAT (8-4): Miami has the pieces and the defensive system necessary to stop Porzingis and Anthony and clamped down on that end while holding the 76ers without a field goal over a seven-minute span in the fourth quarter on Saturday.
The Heat are anchored on the back line by center Hassan Whiteside, who did Porzingis one better with eight blocks in Saturday's triumph.
Whiteside recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks in Miami's lone loss of the homestand against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday and is averaging 6.8 blocks over the last four games.
BUZZER BEATERS
- Heat G Gerald Green is 3-of-16 from the field in three games since returning from a two-game suspension.
- Afflalo is 8-of-15 from 3-point range over the last three games.
- Miami took all three meetings last season while holding New York to an average of 87 points.
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