<div align="center"> ^made by Knicks Analyst @ Knicks 27-36 / Knicks 51-16 </div> <font size="3"> Date: 3/19/05 Time 7:30 (Eastern Time) TV: MSG, Sun Sports, NBALP, Telemundo</font> <font size="4">Season Stats</font> Previous Games: Knicks: 106-92W @ Atlanta Heat: 102-89W vs. L.A. Lakers Knicks: Record: 26-34 (.426) Standings: Fourth, Atlantic At Home: 19-13 On Road: 7-22 PPG: 96.6 Opp PPG: 99.1 FG%: .449 Opp FG%: .464 RPG: 40.8 Opp RPG: 42.0 Heat: Record: 49-16 (.754) Standings: First, Southeast At Home: 28- 5 At Road: 21-11 PPG: 102.4 Opp PPG: 95.2 FG%: .488 Opp FG%: .427 RPG: 43.2 Opp RPG: 40.7 *BOLD* indicates leads team in particular stat. <font size="4"> <font color="DarkOrange">Knicks Starters</font></font> PG: Stephon Marbury 39.8pg 21.1ppg2.9rpg 8.1apg Jamal Crawford 36.5mpg 17.2ppg 2.8rpg 4.2apg SF: Tim Thomas 27.7mpg 11.9ppg 3.5rpg 1.5apg PF: Mike Sweetney 18.6ppg 8.3ppg 5.3rpg 0.6apg C: Kurt Thomas 36.6mpg 11.9ppg 10.2rpg 2.1apg <font color="Blue"><font size="3">Knicks Bench:</font></font> Penny Hardaway 24.7mpg 7.5ppg 2.4rpg 2.1apg Trevor Ariza 17.5mpg 6.1ppg 2.9rpg 1.1apg Maurice Taylor 11.5mpg 4.9ppg 1.9rpg 0.4apg Malik Rose 17.3mpg 5.9ppg 3.1rpg 0.5apg Jerome Williams 15.6mpg 4.7ppg 3.6rpg 0.6apg Jermaine Jackson 7.0mpg 1.8ppg 1.3rpg 0.3apg Bruno Sundov 4.7mpg 1.6ppg 0.9rpg 0.1apg Complete Knicks Stats <font size="4"><font color="Red">Heat Starters</font></font> PG: Dwyane Wade 38.7mpg 23.8ppg 5.3rpg 7.0apg SG: Damon Jones 31.4mpg 11.6ppg 2.7rpg 4.3apg SF: Eddie Jones 35.9mpg 12.8ppg 5.1rpg 2.7apg PF: Udonis Haslem 33.2mpg 11.0ppg 9.1rpg 1.4apg C: Shaquille O?Neal 34.2ppg 22.5ppg 10.3rpg 2.9apg <font size="3">Heat Bench</font> Rasual Butler 18.4mpg 6.2ppg 2.3pg 1.0apg Christian Laettner 15.5mpg 5.4ppg 2.7rpg 0.8apg Keyon Dooling 15.1mpg 4.9ppg 1.2pg 1.8apg Shandon Anderson 17.7mpg 4.3ppg 3.0pg 1.1apg Michael Doleac 13.8mpg 4.0ppg 3.0pg 0.6apg Alonzo Mourning 4.7mpg 2.8ppg 2.5pg 0.2apg Steve Smith 6.0mpg 1.0ppg 0.0pg 0.0apg Complete Heat Stats <font size="4"><font color="Red">Injuries:</font></font> <font color="DarkOrange">NYK:</font> and Allan Houston and Jackie Butler <font color="Red">MIA:</font> and Qyntel Woods / Dorrel Wright / Wang Zhizhi <font size="4"> <font color="Green">Matchups:</font></font> vs. PG: Here we go again?Stephon Marbury over the last few games has been performing very well. He has been scoring especially well as of late. He?s just a shade over his average at 22.6 over his last 3 games. Wade do I even need to mention? He averages about 24 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. That?s incredible for his second year. The Knicks must do everything in their power to try and contain him. Now again, we can?t shut him down we just need to make things difficult for him. Although Wade had 24 points on 8-15 shooting, the Knicks did a pretty solid job on him. They forced him to 4 turnovers and 5 assists, they also got him into some quick foul trouble. There is a difference in this game though. The Knicks are playing on the road instead of at home where Wade has much more confidence as the crowd cheers for him. Marbury can not allow Wade to get an early edge and have the crowd involved. Marbury also needs to continue his scoring spree on a good percentage. If he takes 20 shots while only connecting on 7, we probably are doomed unless someone else steps it up big time. Marbury needs to break down the defense on many possessions because that will set up the Thomas?. Wade needs to be kept out of the paint and needs to be forced to take jumpers although he?s improved that aspect of his game as well. Just simply playing him tough, forcing him into bad shots and making him take bad decisions is all the Knicks can do. Also I would like to see them actually run on the break! They have people like Tim, Jerome, Jamal and Marbury who can all run the floor very well. They just decide not to do it. With someone orchestrating on the break, we can get easy transition baskets off of turnovers and put more pressure on the Heat. vs. SG: Defense is what we need here, enough said. Damon Jones can not be left open at all! Why can?t they understand that someone who shoots 42.5% from the land of plenty needs to be covered? Damon Jones was the perfect acquisition for this Miami Heat franchise. He gives the Heat yet another 3 point shooter. The Knicks get too much caught up on Wade and Shaq and somehow forget the likes of perimeter threats like Damon. Jamal Crawford?s game has been well?interesting. Crawford has been shooting rather horribly as of late. He hasn?t been shooting much less. I don?t know whether that is because he has lacked confidence, but he is playing much better. Crawford was never the selfish type, but he is passing much better. Over his last 5 games, he is averaging 7.6 assists while shooting a little more than 11 a game. Last night against Atlanta, he had 9 attempts in the whole game and connected on 5 which is hopefully a good sign because of his shooting slump. He also had half of the Knicks 20 assists that night. While Marbury?s assists have gone down, I don?t think that?s a bad thing. Although I have not watched the Knicks in almost two weeks, I came to the conclusion that Crawford?s assists have been due to him running the PG and players such as Marbury and Tim Thomas have been beneficiaries in his great passing. I remember some people were judging the experiment as a complete failure before it even started! The Knicks have been playing great with Crawford running the show as the floor general and I look forward to seeing this continue. We do need Crawford?s 17+ points on a good percentage and his passing to be able to stop the Heat tonight?that is unless someone else has a monster game. vs. SF: Edward Jones and Timothy Thomas. I really like this matchup a lot. Tim Thomas has been playing well as of late and so far in the month of March, he?s averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists on a 52.9% including 52% from downtown. Yet for the season, he is only at 11.9ppg 3.5rpg 1.5apg. So you can imagine how badly this change has been for him. Still I would like to see something from him defensively. Eddie Jones has great shooting ability and putting a hand in his face to stop him is a must for sure. He can?t get caught up on Wade and Shaq and forget about a key corner stone in. From what we have seen from Tim Thomas recently, I think he can take advantage of this matchup by scoring more points, but Tim needs to be a nuisance for Jones as well. If Jones struggles and Tim plays well yet again, we will be in a much better position. So Tim please play well and please play defense. vs. PF: It?s Sweetney against Haslem. Sweetney is such an effective player in the minutes that he gets it?s such a shame he is so very foul prone. His overzealousness on the defensive end picks him fouls way too quick. This can also be seen when Sweetney is about to block a shot. He would average a couple of blocks a game, however they are usually goaltending calls. When he gets his due minutes, he is very efficient. If he can stay out of trouble, there is no question he can give Udonis Haslem some trouble. He will give us a post threat and he can give it to Tim Thomas or Crawford on the perimeter for an open 3 opportunity. Sweetney will give us rebounding especially on the offensive end, he?ll give us another scoring. Haslem?s athleticism and speed can get Sweetney some quick foul trouble as well. I?m not saying for Sweetney to cool it on the defensive end, I?m just saying thathe should play smarter basketball. His presence on the floor provides us with many pluses and we can ill-afford to lose him. vs. C: Another tough one right here. Kurt Thomas needs to hit the boards and most importantly, hit his shots (even when you have the chance to take the lead!) Kurt Thomas is the difference maker in this game as I explained in the previous matchup between these two teams. Starbury scores and passes usually off of penetration. When there is a shot blocker present, Marbury is limited. So, when he gets into the lane, Kurt Thomas needs to hit his shots to move Shaq out of the paint. If Shaq is out of the paint, Marbury can score, and get others involved. Simple strategy that will work if Kurt hits his shots. Keeping Shaq out of the paint is a must. Defensively, Kurt is vulnerable. Kurt Thomas is a very good post defender, but Shaq is unstoppable. It will take a team effort to try and contain Shaq. Kurt will need everyone to step up. <font size="3"><font color="DarkOrange">Knicks Bench Summary</font></font> The bench has to pick it up. Malik Rose I think will be our biggest factor off the bench. He needs to use his experience that he brings from playing against Shaq in the playoffs, Duncan on a daily basis, and wining two rings. His defense on Shaq needs to be good. He also brings a lot of energy off the bench as well. We also need Jerome and Ariza to give us some nice energy off the bench. We need them to give us defense and a bit of scoring too. I heard Penny is hurt which will obviously hurt us as well. The Knicks bench needs to just play strong and come out with intensity if they have any chance of wining this game. <font size="3"><font color="Red">Heat Bench Summary:</font></font> Their bench is good, and can give us trouble. They give the Heat starters perfect rest on the bench because they know how to play. Look for former Knick players such as Anderson and Doleac. We need to simply make things tougher for them because their starters are definitely enough trouble. <div align="center"><font size="4"><font color="Green">Key Matchup:</font></font> THEY MEET AGAIN!</div> <div align="left">FLASH</div><div align="center">VS.</div><div align="right">STARBURY</div> <div align="center"> [imgr]http://www.nba.com/media/knicks/itpgal_steph_050313.jpg[/imgr][imgl] http://www.nba.com/media/heat/hpg0405_041128_wade4.jpg[/imgl] Marbruy and Wade meet again. Both have been instrumental in the past games between the Heat and the Knickerbockers. This matchup is exciting and it really is the key as these two leaders of the team go head-to-head. The results of this dramatic confrontation will likely determine the outcome of the game. They can?t stop each other either just hope to contain. Both have a history this season of scorching the opposition. This season against Miami, Marbury averages 43.3mpg 29.3ppg 2.33spg on a 50.8% and 40% from 3! This happens to be the most points he averages against any team he?s played this year. So Marbury always has good games against Wade. Now here?s Dwyane?s stat line against the Knicks: 42mpg 25ppg 5.0rpg 6.7apg. When they play each other you can always expect a good game.</div> <font size="4">My Prediction:</font> After Herb was killing the team with his screaming behind closed doors, I think they?ll finally get the message and start the game strong. The Knicks have fought the Heat in every single game this season and I think that it will continue. I am choosing them because I think that they see the importance if this game and they also don?t want Herb to get on them again. You guys know the other reason why I?m choosing them also. <font color="Red"><font size="4">Don?t Forget:</font></font> <font size="3">THIS GAME IS AT 7:30 PM EASTERN TIME!!! AND IS ON 1050 AM ESPN RADIO AND IS ON TELEMUNDO!!! (It?s in Spanish but still at least we can actually see them!)</font>
