Knicks' defense, late rally beat Heat

MIAMI - The Knicks won a game here with defense, barely scored more than 90 points and partied like it's 1999.

The new era of Knicks vs. Heat officially opened Sunday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, and before a national audience on ESPN, with a gritty 91-86 win over Miami. It was punctuated by Amar'e Stoudemire's game-saving block on LeBron James, a game-changing steal by Chauncey Billups and prolific offense by Carmelo Anthony, who had a game-high 29 points.

And Mike D'Antoni was preaching defense. "Until we get more fluid with our offense,'' he said, "we have to win this way.''

The Knicks clamped down on the Heat in the final 3:05, finishing with a 13-2 run while not allowing a field goal.

Billups drilled a long three-pointer from the right wing with 1:01 left to give the Knicks an 85-84 lead they would hold to the end. He took the shot when Dwyane Wade dropped off him for a second when it appeared Billups was about to pass to Anthony in the post. It was just enough time and space for Billups to remind people why he has the nickname "Mr. Big Shot.''

"I don't see why people say Chauncey Billups is a throw-in,'' James said before the game. Said D'Antoni: "He's no throw-in. He's the only one with a ring.''

On the next possession, Billups picked off Chris Bosh's pass and raced down on a fast break that led to two free throws by Shawne Williams, making it 87-84. James' two free throws with 33.2 seconds left got Miami within a point.

With 12.7 seconds left, a cutting Bill Walker could not catch Billups' inbounds pass, and it went out of bounds for a turnover. James drove on Anthony for a potential go-ahead basket, but Stoudemire came over for a huge block with 7.9 seconds left.

"Once we got that block, I knew we had the game,'' Stoudemire said. "It was very, very satisfying.''

Williams grabbed the loose ball, was fouled immediately and drained both free throws with 6.7 left to make it 89-86. James missed a three from the top of the key and Walker grabbed the rebound with 1.3 seconds left. His two free throws clinched it.

Stoudemire had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Billups added 16 points for the Knicks (30-27), who eclipsed their win total from last season and tied the season series with the Heat (2-2). James scored 27 points and Bosh had 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Coming off an embarrassing loss to the league's worst team, the Cavaliers, on Friday, the Knicks trailed by 15 late in the second quarter.

But the offense suddenly clicked - and the defense picked up, too - to produce a stunning 16-0 run in the final 3:45 of the half for a 52-51 lead.

"That was a big part of the game,'' Walker said. "Either we were going to get blown out or we were going to take a stand and get back in the game.''

The run ended with Walker's falling-down three-pointer off the glass at the buzzer, which made the Knicks fans roar. "Yeah, I called glass on my way down,'' he said. "I called it.''

Walker and Williams, who started at power forward, weren't the only role players who stepped up in this game. Veteran guard Anthony Carter, who came from Denver in the Anthony trade, also was used off the bench for defense. Carter told D'Antoni during Saturday's practice that he has had good experience in defending Wade. "And he told me the truth,'' D'Antoni said of Carter, who played 18:54 and was part of the effort that held Wade to 12 points and 5-for-15 shooting.

D'Antoni tried to quell the excitement of the big win by saying the new-look Knicks "have a lot more ups and downs to go through yet'' but did admit it probably was the biggest win of his two-plus seasons as coach.

"We don't know what we are,'' D'Antoni said. "This gives us a glimpse of what we can be.''