Next to Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller, no one has killed the Knicks more than Tim Hardaway.
Who can forget his 38-point barrage two years ago in Game 7 when he tore the Knicks’ hearts outand carried the Heat to the conference finals?
And then last year when Hardaway averaged 23 points in the series against the Knicks, including when he poured in 34 points in the Heat’s win in Game One.
Now, with these teams meeting yet again, the Knicks will need to control Hardaway as much as possible when they begin their first round series tomorrow in Miami.
“He presents problems for anyone,” Allan Houston said yesterday after the Knicks practiced at Purchase College. “He can shoot the three very well off the dribble. When he gets into the lane he just finds people. He’s definitely the key to that team. He’s the heart and soul. He’s the one who makes big plays for them. He’s definitely a guy that you really try and limit.”
And that’s the problem, considering Hardaway usually has his way in the playoffs against Charlie Ward and Chris Childs.
Both Knicks know what they’re up against.
“He’s an All-Star,” Ward said. “Anyone who’s a good baskeball player and has the green light to make plays and shoot whenever he wants to, it makes him a lot more difficult to guard. He’s talented.”
Childs, who is trying to overcome a sore left knee, said Hardaway is almost impossible to guard.
“You just have to hope he has an off-night,” Childs said. “You’re not going to just stop him. You have to contain him and limit things that he likes to do the most.”
And that is shooting the long-range three-pointer and using a crossover dribble to drive by opponents with ease.
“He shoots more than he drives now,” Childs said. “You’re used to thinking that he’s going to do the crossover to go by you, but he’s been shooting jump shots so well.
“He’s one of the best guards in the league. He can post-up, he shoots the three, he’s tough on the pick and roll. So you have to pick your poison and just hope that you’re team is in sync and you can get as much help as possible.”
Even though Hardaway has only scored as high as 17 against the Knicks this season, coach Jeff Van Gundy said he realizes Hardaway can explode in the playoffs.
“He’s a great player than rises to the occasion,” he said. “We have to try and find some way to at least contain him.
“Some nights we’ve had great success, and some nights his greatness has taken over the game.”
And that usually means trouble for the Knicks.