Heat Look To Remain Dominant Against Rival Knicks
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – A once great rivalry has been pretty one-sided lately.
The Miami Heat look to defeat New York for the ninth consecutive time when it hosts the Knicks on Wednesday.
Two of the victories came earlier this season — by an average of 18 points — as the Heat limited New York to 78 points in both outings.
Miami has won three straight games — matching a season high — after rallying from 18 points down to deliver a 103-100 overtime win against the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
"It's really just good to be competing at a high level again," Heat power forward Chris Bosh told reporters. "It wasn't perfect. We didn't want to be down 18 points to a good team like that."
New York has won back-to-back games — both against the Atlanta Hawks — and has matched last season's victory total of 17.
"I told y'all I don't remember last season," Anthony told reporters after Tuesday's 107-101 win. "I'm serious. I don't remember any of it."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, MSG (New York), FSN Sun (Miami)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (17-19): Anthony may want to forget the franchise-worst 17-65 of last season, and this season's turnaround does qualify as impressive considering how uncompetitive New York was last season.
The Knicks stand just 2 1/2 games out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and figure to remain in the hunt with the conference packed so tightly.
Shooting guard Arron Afflalo averaged 30.5 points in the two wins against Atlanta, including a season-high 38 on 14-of-17 shooting in Sunday's victory.
ABOUT THE HEAT (21-13): Bosh scored a season-high 31 points and collected 11 rebounds against the Pacers and has scored 20 or more points in eight of the past nine games.
He is averaging 24.3 points during the stretch as he and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (27 points against Indiana) are thriving in their second season of not playing in LeBron James' shadow.
Shot-blocking center Hassan Whiteside (right knee) missed his first game of the season and said he is feeling pain in the patella tendon area, so he's unlikely to play against the Knicks.
BUZZER BEATERS
- Anthony was 10-of-29 shooting while averaging 16 points in the two November losses to the Heat.
- New York rookie C Kristaps Porzingis had 17 points and 11 rebounds Tuesday and has three double-doubles in the last seven games.
- Miami SF Luol Deng has failed to score in double digits in each of the past four games.
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