Knicks Turn Up The Heat Stifled By New York’s Defense, Miami Loses 89-76, Trails 3-1

The New York Knicks have reduced the Miami Heat to a misfiring, mistake-prone shell of their former selves.

“I don’t know if we’re playing the perfect defensive series, but I can say this is as close as we’re going to get to doing so,” Buck Williams said Monday night after New York put the clamps on Miami yet again and beat the Heat 89-76 to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

The Knicks finally got an offensive boost from John Starks, who bounced back from poor performances in the first three games with a team-high 21 points. New York took control with a 21-5 run in the second quarter and Miami cut its deficit below double digits just once the rest of the night.

It was the Knicks’ easiest victory in the series, which resumes Wednesday night at Miami.

“We’re not going down without a fight,” Miami’s Tim Hardaway said.

But they’ll have to start shooting straight in order to have a chance.

Miami shot just 38 percent after shooting 37, 42 and 36 percent in the first three games, and their marksmanship reached a lowpoint midway through the fourth quarter when Alonzo Mourning shot an airball on a foul shot. The fans got all over him, and Mourning drew his fifth and sixth fouls moments later.

“I’m unhappy with the fouls and I’m unhappy with a lot of things that happened,” Mourning said. “We have to put this behind us.”

The Heat, the Atlantic Division champions, who won 61 games and had the best road record in the league during the regular season, have yet to win in four playoff games away from home.

Starks, the Sixth Man of the Year award winner, broke out of his slump with a 9-of-12 shooting night. Patrick Ewing had 20 points and Allan Houston added 17, including 12 in the second quarter when the Knicks went on the 21-5 run to take control.

Larry Johnson added 15 for the Knicks, who shot 50.7 percent from the field. It was the first time in the series either team made more than half its shots.

“I knew sooner or later I’d break out of it,” said Starks, who shot 1 for 8, 1 for 7 and 3 for 9 in the first three games. “It’s important to clinch this series as soon as possible because we can’t let Chicago get too much rest.”

Mourning scored just 13 points on 5-for-16 shooting and was whistled for five fouls in the second half. Hardaway attempted only 10 shots and scored 14 points - 10 below his average for the series.

Knicks 89, Heat 76

Miami (76) - Mashburn 4-12 4-6 12, Brown 4-7 2-6 10, Mourning 5-16 3-8 13, Lenard 2-5 0-0 4, Hardaway 4-10 5-8 14, Austin 0-3 0-0 0, Anderson 1-5 2-2 4, Askins 0-0 0-0 0, Crotty 3-6 0-0 8, Majerle 3-4 2-2 11. Totals 26-68 18-32 76.

New York (89) - Johnson 6-10 1-1 15, Oakley 3-8 0-0 6, Ewing 8-13 4-6 20, Houston 4-14 7-7 17, Childs 2-6 1-3 5, Starks 9-12 1-2 21, B.Williams 1-1 1-2 3, Ward 0-1 0-0 0, McCarty 1-1 0-0 2, Brooks 0-0 0-0 0, Wallace 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 34-67 15-21 89.

Miami 22 14 16 24 - 76

New York 23 28 17 21 - 89

3-Point goals-Miami 6-18 (Majerle 3-3, Crotty 2-3, Hardaway 1-4, Lenard 0-2, Anderson 0-2, Mashburn 0-4), New York 6-17 (Johnson 2-4, Starks 2-4, Houston 2-5, Ward 0-1, Childs 0-3). Fouled out-Mourning. Rebounds-Miami 53 (Brown 12), New York 42 (Oakley 9). Assists-Miami 13 (Anderson 4), New York 24 (Childs 8). Total fouls-Miami 27, New York 27. Technicals- Brown, Crotty, New York illegal defenses 2, Oakley, Childs. A-19,763 (19,763).