Heat use unprecedented surge to topple Knicks

Wade missed the contest with a sprained left ankle, while O’Neal sat out his 34th consecutive game as he recovers from knee surgery. Wade is considered day-to-day, while O’Neal could also return any time soon.

Jason Williams added 20 points and seven assists and Udonis Haslem had 19 points and 10 boards for Miami, which ended a two-game slide. Gary Payton tallied 10 points, a season-high 13 assists and six boards and Alonzo Mourning had 10 points, seven rebounds and four blocks for the Heat, who led by as many as 28 points in the first half before needing a late run to hold off the pesky Knicks.

Eddy Curry had 26 points to lead New York, which has lost three of four. The Knicks’ four other starters combined to score just 12 points with forwards Channing Frye and Jared Jeffries going scoreless. Jamal Crawford added 23 points and nine assists off the bench for the Knicks, who have lost eight of nine to Miami.

The Heat built a sizeable lead in the first quarter, thanks to the largest run in franchise history. After New York’s Quentin Richardson gave the Knicks a 3-2 lead on a three-pointer, Miami took control by scoring the next 27 points. Haslem’s bucket began the surge, giving Miami the lead for good, and he ended it with another basket inside the four-minute mark for a 29-3 cushion.

Kapono scored 13 points during the run, which allowed the Heat to cruise into the second with a 40-12 lead following Williams’ three-pointer at the buzzer.

The Heat continued to cruise through the second quarter, leading by 22 points, 48-26, midway through the stanza and 15, 56-41, going into halftime.

New York started to gain ground late in the third quarter. Down 77-58 with two minutes left in the stanza, the Knicks bridged the final two quarters with a 14-2 run that eventually drew the club within 79-73. A Renaldo Balkman bucket made it a 77-64 contest after three quarters, while Curry’s three-point play just under four minutes into the fourth ended the surge.

Miami, though, had an answer as James Posey hit a long-range jumper and Haslem connected to increase the lead back to 10 points, 83-73. Williams later hit a trey to make it an 88-77 contest with just over five minutes left. He then connected from long range again to increase the cushion to 91-79 with 4 1/2 minutes to go.

New York never threatened after that, running out of gas down the stretch.

Game Notes

Richardson and Stephon Marbury, the other two New York starters, scored six points each...Antoine Walker had 10 points for the Heat...These two teams have split the two games this season...The 40-point first quarter was the best of the season for Miami...Miami got its first win without Wade in the lineup this season, improving to 1-6.