Heat Treat Knicks Roughly

NBA playoffs

Fighting for survival, the Miami Heat brawled their way past the visiting New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

An ugly melee with 1:53 left led to the ejection of three players in Game 5, which the Heat won 96-81 to stay alive in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Knicks now lead the best-of-7 series 3-2, with Round 6 Friday at Madison Square Garden. The Heat had the NBA’s best road record this season, but they’re 0-4 away from home during the playoffs.

The fight began when New York’s Charlie Ward backed into P.J. Brown’s legs as Miami’s Tim Hardaway made a free throw for a 90-74 lead. Brown wrapped his arm around the smaller Ward, lifted him and threw him to the floor.

New York’s John Wallace jumped on Brown, and players from both teams joined the pile.. Ward, Brown and New York’s John Starks were ejected.

The Heat took charge of the game with the first 30-point period of the series. Voshon Lenard shook his shooting slump by hitting all five shots in the third quarter, and the Heat outscored New York 31-25 to take a 66-59 lead.

The Knicks closed to 73-70 on Allan Houston’s 3-pointer with 7:37 left, but Miami scored 17 of the next 21 points.

Heat 96, Knicks 81

New York (81) - Johnson 0-4 3-4 3, Oakley 3-7 2-2 8, Ewing 9-19 1-4 19, Houston 5-11 3-4 15, Childs 2-6 0-0 4, Starks 6-12 8-10 21, B.Williams 2-3 0-0 4, Ward 0-4 0-0 0, Wallace 1-2 0-0 2, McCarty 1-1 0-0 2, Brooks 1-1 1-1 3. Totals 30-70 18-25 81.

Miami (96) - Mashburn 1-2 1-2 3, Brown 6-10 6-8 18, Mourning 4-12 5-8 13, Lenard 8-11 3-3 21, Hardaway 3-17 8-9 16, Majerle 3-8 3-4 12, Austin 1-3 0-0 2, Anderson 4-5 0-0 9, Crotty 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 31-72 26-34 96.

New York 22 12 25 22 - 81

Miami 21 14 31 30 - 96

3-Point goals-New York 3-14 (Houston 2-5, Starks 1-5, Johnson 0-1, Ward 0-1, Childs 0-1, Wallace 0-1), Miami 8-19 (Majerle 3-7, Lenard 2-3, Hardaway 2-7, Anderson 1-1, Crotty 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-New York 44 (Oakley 9), Miami 52 (Brown 12). Assists-New York 19 (Childs 7), Miami 16 (Hardaway 6). Total fouls-New York 29, Miami 22. Technicals-Oakley 2, Ward 2, Starks 2, Brown 2, Mashburn. Ejections-Oakley, Ward, Starks, Brown. A-14,782 (14,870).

Orlando wants Jackson Chicago

Several newspapers, citing unidentified sources, said Wednesday that Orlando has offered Chicago coach Phil Jackson a five-year, $30 million contract that would put him in new Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino’s financial neighborhood.

Jackson’s current one-year, $2.75-million contract lets him negotiate with other teams even as the Bulls pursue their fifth championship in seven years.

Jackson, agent Todd Musburger, and Bulls and Magic management all declined comment on the reports.