The Knicks looked like they could steal a win against a Miami team that looked to be on their C game, but LeBron James and Miami's shooters showed up in the fourth quarter while absolutely locking down an offensively stagnant New York team.
Knicks-Heat Final Score: Heat Pull Away In Second Half For 87-70 Win
The third quarter was dismal for both squads, with a lot of missed jumpers, layups and violent fouls. It didn't look pretty, but Miami gutted their way through the period to take a two-point lead into the fourth. From there, it was game over: LeBron scored eight points in the first minute and a half of the period and Mario Chalmers drilled some threes to make the lead insurmountable -- or at least insurmountable for a team as offensively challenged as the Knicks were.
The Knicks shot 31.9 percent, courtesy of 7-for-23 shooting by Carmelo Anthony and a 5-for-18 night for J.R. Smith. But the Heat didn't give the Knicks any options, and so isolation it was. Teams don't win many games where they shoot 31.9 percent, especially when they're playing against a team that can put up buckets like Miami.
The loss was the 13th consecutive playoff defeat for the Knicks, the most in league history, a stat which you surely won’t hear repeated a few million times before Game 4. New York’s chances of winning the series look, well, bleak after going down 3-0, but Knicks fans can hold out hope that that streak won’t continue for another season.
Important GIFs and videos:
There were a lot of them. You might just want to read this storystream.
There’s a fan wearing a Delonte West jersey. No, wait, there’s two!
J.R. Smith and Lebron/D-Wade all like style points.
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For news and analysis on these two teams, check out Heat outpost Peninsula Is Mightier, Knicks blog Posting And Toasting, and SB Nation New York.