Miami Heat vs New York Knicks (93 - 87) december 25, 2009

Dwyane Wade has 30 points and nine rebounds as the Heat snap the Knicks' six-game winning streak at the Garden.

Wade, Heat play Grinch in road win over Knicks
By Jane McManus, for NBA.com
Posted Friday December 25, 2009 4:15PM
NEW YORK (NBA.com exclusive) -- As the Knicks sent out Santas and Snowmen during timeouts of a Christmas Day game, Miami and star guard Dwyane Wade might have taken inspiration from another holiday character: the Grinchy one Jim Carey brought to the big screen.

The Heat stole away open lanes while the Knicks were unable to hit open shots in Miami's 93-87 win. The loss was the first for the Knicks on their home court in seven games, and halted a three-game winning streak.

"They did what Chicago and Charlotte did," Knicks center David Lee said, "they packed the lane and forced us to take jump shots. They took away the roll, and tried to take me out of the game that way. Whoever was the two or three would help us on the roll. They also tried to take away [Chris] Duhon to make us take threes. If we were hitting our shots today, we could have won by 25 points."

The Knicks made just 2-for-21 treys in the first three quarters.

Wade led Miami with 30 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and provided stability after Lee exploited a mismatch and made a layup over Wade, cutting the Miami lead to three with 1:26 in the fourth.

"I thought tonight we came out with a great disposition to start the game defensively," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We were very active, even thought we weren't playing thinks right. In the second quarter we put bodies in front of the drives, getting some blocked shots."

Wade said the low-scoring, heavy-defense style of basketball might not be beautiful, but it is what the Heat (15-12) needs to do to win games.

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni downplayed it after the game, but he was very animated when talking to the referees after the Knicks were called for fouls around Wade.

With 6:01 left in the fourth, Al Harrington powered in a reverse layup over Wade. There was no call on the contact, but when Harrington encountered Wade a few seconds later, Harrington was called for a foul which upped to a technical for arguing.

D'Antoni said there was no real way to stop Wade, you just had to limit the productions of other Miami players and try to keep from fouling Wade.

"He just comes at you hard," D'Antoni said. "You can't get out of the way sometimes."

Knicks defensive forward Jared Jeffries picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter and left the game, as Miami expanded on a three-point halftime lead.

Danilo Gallinari led the Knicks with 26 points and Spoelstra said the 6-foot-10 forward had improved dramatically since the Heat topped the Knicks 115-93 on Oct. 28 in Miami. Gallinari had a key 3-pointer in the fourth as the Knicks charged, but it wasn't enough.

"I don't know where [my shot] was I think I lost it," Gallinari said. "Hopefully next game it will be better."

The undercurrent as always this year is the possibility that Wade starts in the Garden wearing a Knicks uniform next season. When asked if he could see himself in New York, Wade said "I'm here now." He didn't take the bait on coming what he noted was a very cold city when he could become a free agent.

"I don't think about the possibility of the Knicks, I think about the possibility of this summer," said Wade.

The Knicks traded their regular uniforms for a jolly shade of green as Miami added the holly berry red. After the game, former Knick Quentin Richardson remarked that he didn't remember those green uniforms being good luck when he was here, either. But it's all part of being in a featured NBA Christmas Day game.

"It's always going to be a special matchup when the Knicks and Miami play for a long, long time because of the history," Wade said.

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Sports

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• 2009

[giorgiobello1]

Gallinari 29pts....he is 20 yo and at his first real season after the spinal operation. He is a star

[JacobStayViben]

@ 0:13 Wade got the Jordan 1's :)

[8594craza]

atleast they won today

[willispows62]

HeatTeo great video, reminds me of me in college - just kidding. I'm 5 6 and I can 180 dunk. I used the famous workout plan that that even Kobe and Ray Allen both used. Check out the program at - 50 inch vertical (dot) com

[TheSportsmaniac2010]

no there not. the knicks have no leadership and no go to guy when the game is on the line. guaentee by the end of feb. same record as last year. maybe better. 25-33

[Lo4an]

I WAS HERE :D

[victortimeok]

Even though they lost they still played well against the heat. Knicks are going to the playoffs man believe it.