Miami Heat beat New York Knicks in Joe Johnson’s debut
Miami Heat welcome Joe Johnson to the team with a win over the New York Knicks.
110. Final. 81. 27. 98
The Miami Heat proved themselves the superior foe with an commanding 98-81 vcitory over the crumbling New York Knicks.
Joe Johnson made his Heat debut Sunday night, and even though he’s clearly not the Johnson of old, he showed promising flashes. Johnson collected 9 points, two rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes of play. Most importantly, the aging used-to-be star, hit an early corner three, something this team has desperately needed. The Heat entered Sunday night last in the league in 3PT percentage.
A win over the Knicks can hardly be called impressive, but there were a few promising signs in regards to the Heat’s offensive flow. Goran Dragic did a good job increasing the tempo, the ball moved well, and Wade (6 assists) did an excellent job facilitating on a night where his shots weren’t falling (7-of-18 from the field).
Unfortunately, the Heat once again showed their ineptitude from beyond the arc, shooting a putrid 0-of-7 from long range. The addition of Johnson will help, but it’s also worth noting that the veteran will most likely take away minutes of Gerald Green, who was one of the only 3PT shooters on this team, albeit an inconsistent one. Johnson might only have a minimal affect on this team’s ability to spread the floor, but he’s undoubtably a better player than Green, regardless of his age or declining ability.
Three Stars
Justise Winslow – He shot 0-of-4 from the field, and failed to record a single point, but the rookie nonetheless made his impact on the game by successfully guarding Carmelo Anthony. The 31-year-old Knicks veteran, only connected on 9 of his 24 shots (37.5 percent).
Dwyane Wade – He struggled shooting early, but he turned it on late, finishing the game 9-of-20 with a game-high 26 points, while also collecting seven rebounds and six assists. Most importantly, Wade looked healthy, young and explosive. Without Bosh, the Heat absolutely need Wade to be at his very best. Anything less than 100 percent health from Wade would be detrimental to the Heat’s championship hopes.
Goran Dragic – The lightening quick Dragon was slightly inefficient, shooting 5-0f-12 from the field and 0-of-3 from long range, but he took control of the tempo and did a solid job distributing the ball (6 assists). Unfortunately, with Bosh hurt, the Heat will need Dragic to be more efficient going forward in order to make a serious run.
Highlights
Up Next
The Miami Heat (33-26) host the Chicago Bulls (30-28) on March 1 at 7:30 p.m on NBATV. This will be a good matchup for the Heat, as they look to prove themselves versus a likely playoff team.