Heat Get Wade Back For Matchup Against Knicks
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NEW YORK (CBSMiami/AP) – The Miami Heat are getting healthier and are looking to make a run in the standings.
Dwyane Wade appears ready to return, but that's not likely the case for Carmelo Anthony.
With Wade potentially back in the lineup, the Miami Heat will try to continue their success away from home as they open a road-heavy stretch Sunday night against the woeful Knicks.
A strained left hamstring has sidelined Wade for seven games - four losses - leaving Miami (8-7) without it's star guard, who is averaging 19.8 points and a team-high 6.4 assists.
Wade, though, is nearing a return and could be on the court at Madison Square Garden, as the Heat try to improve on their 4-2 road record. They're going to get plenty of opportunities to do so, as they play eight of their next 10 games as the visitor.
Miami lost for the fourth time in five home games Tuesday, scoring just 11 points in the fourth quarter en route to a 114-97 defeat to Golden State. The team shot just 3 for 17 from the floor and missed all five 3-pointers in the final period.
"I don't really get what we think or what we do down the stretch against good teams, the elite teams," center Chris Bosh said. "For some reason we just forget everything - offense and defense execution."
Bosh has picked up his game with Wade out, averaging 26.5 points on 53.2 percent shooting - 9 for 16 from 3-point range - in the past four contests. He averaged 15.0 points on 29.8 percent shooting - 2 of 11 from beyond the arc - in the first three Wade missed.
The center, though, averaged 7.5 points while making 38.2 percent of his shots - 1 of 8 from beyond the arc - in four games against New York last season. The Heat won three of those meetings.
The Knicks (4-13) are preparing for a third straight game without Anthony due to back spasms.
They've lost both of their games without the superstar forward, and had their lowest scoring output of the season in Friday's 105-78 defeat at Oklahoma City. New York shot 38.7 percent from the field, while missing 17 of 19 3s.
"Some of the shots we got, we just missed," first-year coach Derek Fisher said. "I thought the energy was low to begin with. We were a little flat.
"This is a step in a long process, and you have to be willing to take the good with the bad. You have to remind guys no matter what you're record is as a team, you just have to make sure you're playing each game and each possession for what it is."
J.R. Smith would be wise to heed Fisher's advice since he's started two games in Anthony's place. He's totaled 17 points in that stretch, while making just 8 of 29 from the floor, including 1 of 9 3-pointers.
Amare Stoudemire is looking to build on his season-high 20 points from Friday, but he's averaged 6.0 in the past three meetings with Miami.
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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