Heat at Knicks
Dwyane Wade is hopeful to return from a seven-game absence due to a hamstring injury when the Miami Heat visit the New York Knicks on Sunday night. Wade, a 10-time All Star, went through a full practice Friday and said he planned to see how his leg responded after his first workout in three weeks before deciding whether to play. The Knicks, meanwhile, are still listing seven-time All Star forward Carmelo Anthony as day-to-day with back spasms that kept him out the last two games.
New York has lost 11 of its last 13 overall and didn’t catch any breaks Friday as Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook returned from a month-long absence with a broken hand to score 32 points with eight assists and seven rebounds in the 105-78 victory over the Knicks. Miami, still trying to figure things out in the post-LeBron James era, managed just 11 points in the fourth quarter of its 114-97 loss Tuesday against the visiting Golden State Warriors after leading by as many as 16 in the first half. The Heat have avoided falling below .500 this season but have a tough stretch after the New York game, facing five consecutive opponents with winning records.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), Sun Sports (Miami)
ABOUT THE HEAT (8-7): Chris Bosh averaged at least 22 points in five straight seasons with the Toronto Raptors but didn’t need to put up those numbers in the four seasons playing alongside James in Miami. But now that James is playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bosh is showing he can still elevate his offensive game like the old days. He's averaging 21.7 points through the first 15 games and seems more comfortable with his new role with every game, evident by the 26.6 he's averaging over the last four games, though that could change with the return of Wade.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (4-13): Amar’e Stoudemire had his best years about the same time as Bosh, averaging between 20.4 and 25.3 points for five straight seasons from 2006 to 2011. But his numbers have steadily gone down from there, bottoming out at a career-low 11.9 points and 4.9 rebounds last season. He showed some perk in his step in the second game without Anthony, however, scoring a season-high 20 points on 7-for-8 shooting against the Thunder and taking nine rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wade scored his career high of 55 points against the Knicks on April 12, 2009, shooting 19-for-30 from the field.
2. Miami G Mario Chalmers made his 600th 3-pointer against the Warriors on Tuesday, joining Tim Hardaway (806), Eddie Jones (712) and Glen Rice (708) as the only Heat players with at least 600.
3. The Knicks were also 4-13 after 17 games last season and 13-4 through that point in 2012-13.
PREDICTION: Heat 105, Knicks 97