Playoffs 2000:Knicks expect to exploit Heat again in Game 5

Knicks expect to exploit Heat again in Game 5
Associated Press

MIAMI -- It didn't take four games for the New York Knicks to figure out the Miami Heat's defense. It just took them that long to attack it correctly.

The Knicks exploited the Miami Heat's swarming and aggressive defense in Game 4, winning 91-83 and tying the Eastern Conference semifinal series at two games apiece.

Now the Knicks want to do it again. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Miami.

"We know what shots we can get against their defense. It's a matter of making the right play, not getting impatient and not getting a quick shot," Knicks guard Chris Childs said. "We know the first pass is not going to get you a shot."

The Heat have consistently double-teamed Latrell Sprewell in the series. They have helped out on Allan Houston and Larry Johnson, too.

For the most part, Miami's defense has worked. But Sunday, it worked against them.

The Knicks read the double-teams, made strong, swift passes to the opposite side of the court and connected on the resulting wide-open shots.

"It's the little stuff that makes a big difference when you're trying to run a play," Sprewell said. "I've always said that if they're going to double, we have to make them pay. We knew that after Game 1."

And Games 2 and 3. But not until Charlie Ward hit most of his shots did New York make the Heat pay.

Ward was 8-for-13 shooting (62 percent) in Game 4, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range. He scored the Knicks' final nine points to seal the win. He scored a career playoff-high 20 points.

By the end of the game, Ward had the Madison Square Garden crowd chanting "Char-lie, Char-lie."

"They should make a mold of him and send it to every kid who comes into the league as a rookie as to how to become a professional basketball player," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "How to live your life, how to believe in your team, how to do your job and how to hustle.

"We're not surprised by his ability to be able to drive and score, and we're not surprised by his ability to hit 3s. His last nine points finished us."

Heat guard Anthony Carter, on the floor for Ward's offensive flurry, saw it differently. He called it "garbage points."

"As long as we win, it can be garbage all day," Ward responded.

Even without Ward's outburst, Riley was "disgusted" with his team's effort Sunday. The Heat committed 17 turnovers, including nine by center Alonzo Mourning. They settled for _ and missed _ too many long-range jump shots. And, more importantly to Riley, they showed little effort.

"We didn't bring it," Riley said. "We didn't bring it physically and we didn't bring it mentally. And if you don't bring it as a team, you're going to get it."

The losing team has come back to win each of the last three games, and the Heat hope to continue that streak.

"Nobody wants to lose, and everyone on this team was disappointed because we felt we could have played better and the outcome could have been different," guard Jamal Mashburn said. "(Riley) was annoyed just like we all were annoyed. There was a little bit of a short fuse there, and everybody was on the same page."

The Heat don't expect to make any major changes for Game 5, they're just hoping for better execution.

Point guard Tim Hardaway, hobbled with a sore left foot, will continue to play -- and start. Hardaway is 8-for-30 (27 percent) from the field in the series, including 4-for-17 from 3-point range, and has 18 assists.

His mobility is limited, in transition and on defense.

Hardaway met with Riley for about 10 minutes Monday. Neither would comment on the meeting, but Riley defended Hardaway's play and presence on the court.

"Tim is absolutely playing as courageously as he can. Despite what people think, he has been a positive for us," Riley said. "We need him. We need his heart. We need his savvy.

"He means too much to this franchise to be thought of as a liability. We're working our way around it. He didn't make nine turnovers and he didn't miss four free throws, so I would not be pointing fingers at Tim Hardaway."