SHOE DROPS
knock off Heat
Year sat at the far end of the bench throughout the game — a few seats away from Knicks owner James Dolan and actress Katie Holmes — and mostly stood outside the team’s huddles during every timeout.
Anthony, who averaged 38.5 points when the Knicks took three of four games from Miami last season, led the way with 29 points and eight rebounds as the climbing Knicks (13-22) moved to 4-1 in 2014.
Andrea Bargnani was posterized by James on one third-quarter reverse dunk, but the 7-footer had an efficient game with 19 points on 9-for-13 shooting. Amar’e Stoudemire added 14 points and 11 boards, Iman Shumpert scored 12 on four second-half three-pointers and Raymond Felton spread the ball around and finished with 13 points and a season-high 14 assists as Woodson stuck with an eight-man rotation without Smith and ill center Tyson Chandler.
“We’re starting to trust each other again. . . . We’re attacking early and putting complete games together,” Anthony said. “We’re moving forward, we’re taking strides and we’re getting better, learning from our mistakes that we made in the past and we’re going to continue to build on this.”
James led the Heat (27-9) with 32 points, and Dwyane Wade added 23 on a balky knee, but the latter missed all six of his free-throw attempts, as Miami shot just 11-for-21 from the line. “They played a great game,” James said.
Said Anthony: “When you’re facing another great player, it’s bound to elevate your game. LeBron has something that I’ve wanted and I’m looking forward to that and always take the challenge of playing against the great players in this league.”