Pull away in 2nd half
Cleveland, leaving the Knicks with at least the appearance of an opportunity to host a Game 1. “Anytime you can put together some wins, you feel confident, you feel comfortable, you feel like you’re headed in the right direction,” Anthony said. “I really feel like we’re doing that. We’re headed in the right direction. We’re trying to play the right way and we’re winning basketball games in different fashions.”
Added Hornacek: “If we get it together – and we’re playing better now — we can compete with any of these teams.”
On Tuesday, Anthony’s outburst was complemented by Kristaps Porizngis (14 points, 12 boards), Kyle O’Quinn (12 points, seven rebounds) and Lance Thomas (11 points). Courtney Lee scored nine points in 29 minutes after missing two games because of an ankle sprain. Joakim Noah provided energy and a double-double in just 14 minutes. The Knicks scored 56 points in the paint.
The Heat (7-14) was without Winslow, James Johnson, Luke Babbitt and Josh Richardson due to injury. Miami jumped on the Knicks early and built a nine-point advantage in the second quarter, but then Anthony went off and the Heat had no answer. The Knicks can’t afford to play from behind against James and the Cavs.
“If you want to beat a team like that, you can’t have letups,” Hornacek said. “You kind of take two minutes and cruise, all of a sudden they’ll throw 10 points up on you.”