Heat bottles up Lin, knocks off Knicks for eighth straight win

By Paul Levine Feb 24, 2012, 6:53 GMT

Los Angeles - The Miami Heat bottled up Jeremy Lin and shut down Linsanity.

Chris Bosh scored 25 points, Dwyane Wade added 22 and the Heat stretched its season-high winning streak to eight Thursday night, knocking off the visiting New York Knicks 102-88.

LeBron James finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Miami, which heads into the All-Star break tied with Oklahoma City for the NBA's best record of 27-7.

'This is a good way to end before the break,' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. 'I think everyone in that locker room needs a handful of days.

'We've been really focused. We played a team that with more time they're going to improve and become a very dangerous team. They already are right now.'

The hype was centered around Lin's first meeting against the surging Eastern Conference powerhouse and its Big Three All-Stars of James, Bosh and Wade.

The overnight sensation, Lin was averaging nearly 24 points and nine assists while sparking the Knicks to eight wins in 10 games since being inserted in the rotation nearly three weeks ago as Linsanity was born.

However, Lin couldn't handle the Heat. In his worst game of the season, he was held in check by a collective effort from guards Mario Chambers, Norris Cole and even James, who took turns pressuring the Knicks point guard on drives to the basket, pick and roll plays while never allowing him to find a rhythm.

'First of all, he deserves all of the credit he's been given,' Wade said. 'We knew it was going to be a tough task guarding him in this high pick and roll. Our point guards did a great job. He's a good player, but we put a lot of pressure on him and it was a success.'

Lin finished with just eight points on 1-of-11 shooting, three assists and eight turnovers in defeat.

'A learning experience, a tough one,' Lin said. 'I'm not going to hang my head or anything like that. I know I went out there and I played hard.

'Can't win 'em all, can't have a great game every game. But at the same time, I need to understand, 'OK, what'd I do wrong? How can I improve?' I think that's going to be exciting.'

Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points while JR Smith added 14 off the bench for the Knicks (17-18), who have dropped nine of 11 in the series.

After leading 51-47 at halftime, the Heat took charge in the third quarter, behind a stingy defence that forced the Knicks into 4-of-15 floor shooting.

On the offensive end, James, Bosh and Wade combined for 25 of the team's 29 points.

James scored six points during a 12-4 period-ending run that pushed a six-point lead to an 80-66 cushion entering the final frame.

The Knicks pulled to within 84-76 after Steve Novak and Smith drilled three pointers with three minutes gone in the fourth quarter.

The Heat answered by going on a game-sealing 8-0 run. Bosh, Cole, Wade and James scored to open up a 92-76 cushion, and Miami sealed its eighth straight double digit win during the streak.

'It's always big when the Knicks come in,' Bosh said. 'They have that New York-Miami thing. The crowd enjoyed it. And we enjoyed it.'

Elsewhere: Oklahoma City Thunder, 100, LA Lakers 85: Kevin Durant scored 33 points, Russell Westbrook had 19 and the Thunder beat the LA Lakers for its 12th straight home win.

Kobe Bryant scored 24 points on a frosty 7-of-24 floor shooting and Spaniard Pau Gasol finished with 22 for the Lakers, who lost for just the second time in the last seven games.

Atlanta Hawks 83, Orlando Magic 78: Josh Smith had 22 points with 12 rebounds, and the struggling Hawks halted a three-game slide by trimming the visiting Magic, which received 12 points and 12 boards from Dwight Howard.

San Antonio Spurs 114, Denver Nuggets 99: DeJuan Blair matched a career-high with 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Frenchman Tony Parker had 16 points with 12 assists, and the Spurs headed into the All-Star break winning 12 of 13 games after dropping the short-handed Nuggets.

Tim Duncan added 18 points for the Spurs, who rebounded from Tuesday's 137-97 blowout at Portland, to finish 9-1 on their road trip.

Corey Brewer scored 23 for the Nuggets, who have lost 12 of 16 as starters Ty Lawson, Nene, and Danilo Gallinari nursed assorted injuries.