New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat Position Match-Ups: Center

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This is the fifth installment in a series of posts breaking down the match-ups between the Knicks and Heat position by position.  The fifth match-up will be between the Center position.

Match-Up: Tyson Chandler vs. Joel Anthony

No disrespect to Joel Anthony, but this might be the most lopsided match-up in the series.  “I think Tyson gives you all the intangibles – he gets charges, rebounds, emphatic dunks.  He’s so active.  Not that Joel Anthony isn’t, but I think this is a distinct advantage for New York,” said the scout.

Tyson Chandler is thought of to be many things for the Knicks.  One scout believes that Chandler is the emotional glue for the Knicks and that could not be any more accurate of a statement.  Chandler provides the Knicks not only with some of the best rim protection any player can give in the NBA, but he also gets the Knicks fired up, focused and ready to go.  Chandler also brings invaluable experience with his NBA Finals run last season that ended in a victory over these Miami Heat players.  Chandler needs to help the Knicks by keeping Bosh off the glass and dominating the boards; something he should not have a problem with since he has been doing it all season long.  Chandler is the driving force behind the Knicks turnaround from the putrid defense in 2010-2011 to the top five defense they were this season. 

Many scouts point out that the Heat have been very good at taking away the pick-and-roll of opposing teams.  This could cause problems for the Knicks and Chandler since that is the main source of Chandler’s scoring opportunities.  Mike D’Antoni was adamant in pointing out that the Knicks missed Chandler a number of times in the first match-up with the Heat.  Those opportunities never seemed to be available again after that, as Chandler was held to only eight field goals in the last two games against the Heat. 

It should be pointed out though that Chandler was injured half way through the second half of the most recent meeting April 15^th in the Garden. 

Another thing to keep an eye on as a Knicks fan is the amount of technical fouls that Chandler raked up.  He finished with 11 technicals, tied for most on the team with Carmelo Anthony.  Chandler plays with a lot of emotion and passion which can sometimes get him in trouble.  He can still play tough and aggressive, but he is going to have to keep his emotions in check because giving away free points to the Heat will only make it harder on the Knicks. 

The advantage at the center position goes to the Knicks.  There are not many players in the NBA that can have the impact on a game Chandler can without scoring a boatload of points.  

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks Post Game Recap

Final Score: Miami Heat 93 New York Knicks 85 

In what could be a potential first round playoff match up in the Eastern Conference, the Miami Head defeated the Knicks 93-85. But with the loss tonight, the Knicks fell back into 8th place in the Eastern Conference, a half game behind the Philadelphia 76ers. This makes the playoff picture a little murkier as the Knicks are now four games behind the Boston Celtics for the Atlantic Division and 2 games ahead of the 9th place Milwaukee Bucks. The only thing being taken out of this game is that Carmelo Anthony could use a little help with carrying this team. 

-Carmelo Stays Hot 

Carmelo Anthony was once again unstoppable Sunday afternoon, leading the Knicks with 42 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. The 42 points were the most by an individual against the Heat this season. This afternoon was Anthony’s second 40 point effort this month alone, taking over the offensive slack left behind by injuries to Amar’e Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin. 

The problem is still persisting for the Knicks to find that capable and consistent scorer behind Anthony. Amar’e Stoudemire is expected to come back this week, and Knick fans can only hope he returns to the form he was showing before his back injury when he finally looked to be rounding into shape. The sooner Stoudemire is able to return the better for the Knicks because they are a more dangerous team with him in the lineup. 

Dwayne Wade offered his opinion of the Knicks after the game saying, “Amar’e is obviously a dynamic player. He's one of the best players in our game. He's always putting pressure on the defense and on the rim. No question they're a tougher team, they're a better team with him and I'm sure he'll be ready when the playoffs come.” 

He continued with, “We understand they are a man down, but they've been a man down all year and always found a way to pick it up, stay competitive and be a good team. This is a very good team that's playing a lot better no matter whose out on the court." 

-Gotta Get Going on Offense 

Outside of Carmelo Anthony there really was no other scoring option for the Knicks. J.R. Smith scored 16 points, but went only 6-15 from the field. No other Knick scored in double figures in the game. Multiple times throughout the game the Knicks became stagnant on offense. 

One example was in the 3rd quarter, when the Knicks went on a stretch lasting 5:20 without scoring a field goal. This streak included a Novak 3 pointer taken off the board because of a tacky offensive foul called against Shumpert. The Heat increased their lead from one to seven points in that time span. That means two things, one obviously being the Knicks couldn’t score but also that the Knicks defense was still on par. Defense is what the Knicks are going to have to rely on if they are going to make noise in the playoffs. 

-More Injury Concerns 

Tyson Chandler has been dealing with a number of injuries all season and Sunday afternoon was no easier. Chandler banged knees with Joel Anthony in the 3rd quarter, and was in obvious pain. He missed the subsequent free throws but was able to grab the offensive rebound. He sat for his normal rest after that and was able to return to the game at his normal time in the 4th quarter. The Knicks cannot afford Chandler to miss any time because their defense just does not respond in the same way without him on the court. 

Another thing to keep an eye on for the Knicks is Jared Jeffries. He has just returned from a knee injury and has been on a minute limit since his return. In addition to the knee, Jeffries suffered a cut on his chin courtesy of a collision with Lebron James. Jeffries needed to receive 3 stitches after the injury. 

The Knicks next game is Tuesday back at the Garden against division leading and rival Boston Celtics at 7:30 P.M. ET. If the Knicks want to keep dreams of winning the division alive this is a must win game as they currently sit 4 games behind the Celtics for the Atlantic Division title. 

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks Pre-Game News and Notes April 15

Sunday April 15th 1:00 P.M. ET 
Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks 

The Knicks continue their three game home stand Sunday afternoon in a matinee game against the Miami Heat and their big 3. The Knicks are coming off an easy victory over the Washington Wizards, which improved their record to 31-28. The Knicks currently hold a 2 ½ game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoff race and sit in 7th place holding the tiebreaker over the Philadelphia 76ers. They also sit 3 games behind the Orlando Magic for 6th place in the Eastern Conference and 3 ½ games behind the Boston Celtics for the Atlantic Division crown. 

-Defensive Intensity 

Since Mike Woodson has taken over as the Knicks head coach, the team has gone 13-4 and been a top defensive team. They have been holding opponents to 88.8 points per game, ranking 2nd in the NBA. This is going to be key in the game against the Heat. The Heat sport the 2nd best record in the Eastern Conference, but struggle against some of the top defensive teams in the NBA. This month alone the Heat have lost to the Grizzlies, Bulls, and Celtics twice, teams who all sport top rated defenses. The Knicks are looking to add their names to that list by using the same tactics. 

-Small Ball Match-ups 

With the injuries the Knicks are suffering through, they have been using a smaller lineup with Carmelo Anthony at the Power Forward position with Iman Shumpert moving into the lineup. Some teams can over power the Knicks because of the smaller lineup, but the Heat are actually one team the Knicks match up with well. You could even argue the Knicks hold the edge in the matchups depending on how the Heat play it. 

The Knicks have had a potent offense with Anthony playing the 4. There is no Power Forward in the NBA who can contain Anthony on the offensive end, giving the Knicks a huge edge. You would think the Knicks would have the same problem, but Anthony can hold his own on the defensive end. Also, throwing the ball into the post can throw teams off and change their game plans all together. 

Luckily for the Knicks, the Heat do not have dominant big men to worry about. Instead, the Heat are the ones who will have all the problems to answer. Anthony and Lebron James are expected to be matched up for most of the game with Dwayne Wade and Iman Shumpert squaring off as well. 

Where does this leave the last member of the Heat’s big 3 you ask? They are in a quagmire of sorts with him. Does Erik Spoelstra trust Chris Bosh in handling Tyson Chandler going small against the Knicks, or does he go with a traditional lineup and just hope Bosh can slow down Carmelo Anthony and leave bangers Ronny Turiaf and Joel Anthony to deal with Chandler? It will be an interesting development to keep an eye on. Game pace and tempo will be what dictates the moves being made.