Miami heat vs. New York Knicks Live Streaming

The Christmas NBA action gets underway at Madison Square Garden where the Knicks will host the Miami Heat.

The Heat are coming off a six-game home stand in which they finished with a 3-3 record that included wins in three of their last four games. They haven’t played a road game since winning in Sacramento on December 6. The Heat won their last game, 80-70 against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. As usual, Dwyane Wade carried the load for the Heat with 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Quentin Richardson (11 points) and Udonis Haslem (12 points, 11 rebounds) also were key players in the victory for the Heat.

In each of their last three wins, the Heat held their opponents to less than 33 percent shooting from 3-point territory. That will once again be the key against the Knicks, a team that likes to shoot a lot of 3-pointers. The Knicks have made at least 11 3-pointers and/or shot at least 40 percent from beyond the arc in six of their last eight wins. They combined to shoot 26-for-51 on 3-pointers in consecutive wins over the Trail Blazers and Hornets. In a 98-89 loss to the Bulls, the Knicks were 16-for-47 from beyond the arc. Clearly, the key for the Knicks is knocking down outside shots.

Despite shooting so many 3-pointers, the Knicks only have one player who is shooting better than 36 percent from 3-point land. That is one of the main reasons the Knicks have only an 11-17 record this season. Danilo Gallinari is that one player, leading the team with 75 made 3-pointers in 27 games and a 41 percent mark from beyond the arc. Gallinari, Al Harrington, Wilson Chandler, Larry Hughes and Chris Duhon are all attempting more than three 3-point attempts per game.

If the Knicks could score points inside, they may not be as prone to jack up as many 3-point attempts. David Lee is the only real post player for the Knicks. He is averaging 18 points and nearly 11 rebounds per game. Harrington and Gallinari also are capable of scoring down low, but both of them would rather shoot most of their shots from deep. With Lee as the only Knick willing to stay near the basket primarily, it makes it difficult for them to score much down low. With Jermaine O’Neal and Udonis Haslem defending for the Heat, it will make it even more difficult for Lee. The Heat should easily win the battle in the paint with O’Neal, Haslem, Michael Beasley and Wade all willing to attack the basket.

Of course, the key to stopping the Heat is stopping Wade, who is averaging 26.7 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. Wade is shooting only 24.7 percent from 3-point range, so the Knicks should try to force him into shooting a lot of jumpers by sending help defense any time he takes his defender off the dribble. When Wade gets in the lane, he’s able to score a lot of points or dish off to open teammates for easy baskets.

The Knicks have won three straight games, all at home, and have won six straight home games. Their last home loss was a 114-102 loss to the Magic on November 29. The last three wins have come over the Bulls, Bobcats and Clippers, all by seven points or less.

After announcing his retirement because of injuries in 2005 and taking more than a four-year hiatus, 7-foot forward Jonathan Bender was signed by the Knicks and has played in the last three games for them. He scored a combined 20 points in 14 minutes per game in his first two games before scoring two points in eight minutes in the last game.

The Knicks are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games and 5-1 ATS in their last six home games. The total has gone under in each of New York’s last five games. The Heat are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games and 4-2 ATS in their last six games against the Knicks. The total has gone over in six of Miami’s last seven road games and in each of their last five games against the Knicks.

Filed Under: Danilo Gallinari , David Lee , Knicks , Miami Heat , Michael Beasley , Quentin Richardson , Udonis Haslem , Utah Jazz