Carmelo Anthony’s presence as a baseline spectator couldn’t snap the Knicks from their usual late-fourth-quarter woes and horrendous Garden losing streak. Anthony should be used to seeing the Knicks lose here.
The Knicks have forgotten how to win at home. After coming back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie with 3:10 left, they folded as usual. The Heat (24-24) escaped with a 106-97 victory to hand the Knicks their ninth straight loss and 11th straight at home.
Though he’s a shell of what he once was, Dwyane Wade had a stirring showing before a flock of Heat fans in scoring 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Chants of “Let’s Go Heat” abounded in the first half and leading into the final buzzer as this sorry season limped on. The Knicks have lost 22-of-24 games and fell to 10-38.
More bad news for the Knicks. Frank Ntilikina, who started his second straight game because of Emmanuel Mudiay’s shoulder injury, missed the second half with a groin strain and will not make the trip to face Kemba Walker’s Hornets in Charlotte on Monday.
As has been typical, the Knicks offense screeched to a halt in the third quarter and Miami went up 13 points. The Knicks were outscored by an embarrassing 29-12 in the third period. Coach David Fizdale often talks about one horrific period costing the Knicks most games.
“We stopped moving the ball,” Fizdale said. “It’s the kiss of death for us. No matter what I called, it would stick.”
Missing Ntilikina (six points, four assists in the first half) was a factor, Fizdale said. Trey Burke likely starts Monday night.
“That was a big blow to us,” Fizdale said. “He really had a big impact in the first half, guarding the ball, being aggressive. Hopefully it’s not too bad and we can get him back.”
Wade checked in with 5:03 left in the first quarter and received a huge roar from the Garden crowd. It was soon followed by “Let’s Go Heat” chants from the inordinate number of Miami fans on hand.
Ironically, back when the Knicks weren’t tanking, swarms of transplanted Knicks fans used to flood Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena.
As is his custom this season, Wade swapped jerseys with an opposing player following the game, choosing Tim Hardaway Jr., who was a 10-year-old kid scurrying around Heat practices when his father worked for the organization.
“I was 10 when they drafted him,’’ said Hardaway, who finished with 22 points. “Ever since ’03, he’s been an idol for me. I know all his moves. He’s known me for so many years. He’ll always be Flash to me.’’
Hardaway tied the game at 90-90 with 3:10 left on a 3-pointer after Damyean Dotson saved a ball from going out of bounds before the Knicks crashed and burned. Wayne Ellington hit two 3-point daggers in the final two minutes to seal it.
Fizdale said before the game he was sticking with Noah Vonleh at center and 30-year-old Lance Thomas at power forward, meaning fuming Enes Kanter remained on the bench. Fans chanted, “We want Kanter!” in the third quarter.
It was the third straight game in which Kanter did not play, and it could expedite him asking for a buyout before the Feb. 7 trade deadline.