Heat expects big Game 2 response from Anthony
New York Knick Carmelo Anthony looks to pass against LeBron James of the Miami Heat during the first quarter of Game 1. (April 28, 2012) Credit: AP
MIAMI -- Bring it on.
That's the message the Heat has for Carmelo Anthony heading into Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Monday night. Miami is sure that Anthony is not going to have the same kind of game that he did in their 100-67 bulldozing of the Knicks in the opening game of the series Saturday.
The Heat figures the Knicks will come back with a game plan designed to free up Anthony so he doesn't have a repeat of the 11-point, 3-for-15 outing he had in Game 1.
"He's a great player, and he's going to make adjustments and come on back at us and be better," Miami's LeBron James said. "We understand that. We know as a team, it starts with him. He's the head of their snake. He wants to play well. He wants to play better than he played ."
Anthony rebounded from an unimpressive opening game in last year's playoffs to score 42 points in Game 2. That was the sole highlight of the Knicks' postseason; they lost that game anyway, and were swept by the Celtics in the first round.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who used James and Shane Battier to constantly front Anthony in Game 1, said the Heat had some luck because Anthony missed some open looks early in the game that could have gotten him going.
"He hits a couple of those, and it changes his rhythm," Spoelstra said. "He's prolific enough of a scorer for us to know that it's not going to stay the same. He's going to make adjustments. He's going to catch the ball where he needs in order to be effective. What can't change is our mentality. Our mentality and aggressiveness has to stay the same."
