N.Y. Knicks ~ Knicks Fade in Second-Half HEAT

NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS:  For 30 minutes, The Garden was as Hot as South Beach.

Madison Square Garden Rumbled; Then Mumbled; Then Just Got Humbled.

The final score was 113-91; Miami Heat over the Knicks.  LeBron James lead the game in Boo's and scored a triple-double notching 32 points; 11 rebounds; 10 assists.  We pretty much knew that would happen especially watching Turiaf, Gallo and Felton attempting to guard him with little effect.  Dwayne Wade dropped another 26 points.  We've come to expect that playing against him too.

Then there's Chris Bosh.  He scored another 26 points for Miami and pulled down 7 rebounds.  That's the third guy in Miami's triumvirate.  He's the guy we didn't have an answer for if you're asking me.

There's a bunch of things that conspired against the Knicks in the second half tonight.  But here are the things that stick out in my mind reviewing tonight's loss over-all.

*What happened to the Knicks running game in the second half?
*They were only 13 of 23 from the free throw line tonight.
* They only shot 39% from the field.
*Miami clamped down on defense as the Knicks only scored 34 points in the second half.
*From start to finish, the Heat scored whenever they wanted. 
*Meanwhile the Knicks bench could only muster 12 points.

For whatever reason, they looked pretty lethargic in the second half.  I'm not about to speculate why but maybe they play too many minutes because we have no bench...  But having said that, if you pair the following scorers, Stoudemire and LeBron; Gallo's 25 points and Wade's 26, it's safe to call it a wash.  Not exactly...but there's a point to be made here.

As I said we had no answer for Bosh.  He had the early mismatch against Fields that I thought the Heat were going to exploit all night.  Landry Fields and Ray Felton only had five and eight points respectively.  That's your game right there.  Chandler and Miami's Arroyo was another wash.  But Ray's and Landry's combined 13 points were doubled by Chris Bosh.  Felton had double digits in assists but now you see what happens to this team when Landry and Ray aren't scoring in double digits.  Could Ray Felton have scored more if his hand wasn't wrapped up?  Maybe.

But let's end on a good note shall we?  The first quarter of this game was one of the most electrifying 12:00 minutes of basketball by the Knicks in a long time!

D-Gallo was having an inspired start to this game.  Gallo was first as he and D-Wade exchanged monstrous dunks with around 6:30 left in the first quarter.  Ray Felton came back with a left-handed lay-up for two.  Chris Bosh put up an air-ball the Heat's next time down.  THEN, on the ensuing Knick's possession, Amar'e Stoudemire D-Huuuunked!!..  the Knicks to a one point lead with 5:54 left. 

The crowd went bonkers!

That moment was louder than any Knick moment covering the last eight years(?).  The roar which erupted from the crowd was enough to strip away anything that still needed removal in the Garden's roof during her extensive renovations. 

(Then some time in the third quarter they were silenced and by the fouth quarter, humbled.)

The Knicks went into half-time tied 57-57 against LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and the rest of the South Beach Humids.  For the first thirty minutes tonight, the atmosphere was glorious.  Miami may have brought the HEAT to MSG this evening, but the Garden is proving to be a cool place to be again.



Mike.BTB