Anthony helps keep Knicks alive with win over Heat

Published 1:04 am Monday, May 7, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) — Carmelo Anthony scored 41 points, Amare Stoudemire had 20 points and 10 rebounds in his return from a cut hand, and the New York Knicks snapped an NBA-record, 13-game playoff losing streak, beating the Miami Heat 89-87 Sunday in Game 4 of their first-round series.

Anthony made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 54.5 seconds left as the Knicks overcame another serious injury to win a playoff game for the first time since April 29, 2001. Baron Davis dislocated his right kneecap in the third quarter, just as the Knicks were making the run that got them back into the game after a dismal first half.

LeBron James scored 27 for the Heat, who will try to close it out in Game 5 at home on Wednesday. Dwyane Wade had 22 points but missed a 3-point attempt with 1.6 seconds left that would have given Miami a lengthy rest before starting the second round.

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Wade’s errant shot set off a loud celebration from Knicks fans who hadn’t seen their team win in the postseason since beating the Toronto Raptors in Game 3 of a best-of-five series. It didn’t look as if the victory would come in this series, after the Knicks had been blown out by 20 points per game in the first three games.

But they got a huge spark from Stoudemire, playing with padding over his hand just six days after badly cutting it when he punched a fire extinguisher case after a Game 2 loss in Miami.

LAKERS 92, NUGGETS 88

DENVER (AP) — Kobe Bryant scored 22 points, Andrew Bynum added 19 and the Lakers’ stars got plenty of help from their supporting cast while taking a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

The Lakers can wrap it up Tuesday night when the series shifts back to Staples Center for Game 5.

Reserve Jordan Hill was big for L.A., posting a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Steve Blake scored 10 points, including a key 3-pointer in the final minute as the Lakers overcame a six-point halftime deficit.

Ramon Sessions scored 12 points and also had a big 3 in the final minute for the Lakers.

The game was briefly delayed with 1:10 left in the first half when a female fan started walking across the court while the Nuggets were setting up a play.

The woman walked several steps onto the court as Ty Lawson brought the ball past halfcourt. Officials blew the whistle to stop the play and the woman was escorted away by security.

CELTICS 101, HAWKS 79

BOSTON (AP) — Paul Pierce scored 24 points in 18 minutes and the Celtics opened a 37-point third-quarter lead before coasting to the victory and a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Celtics can finish off the Hawks in Atlanta on Tuesday. Game 6 would be in Boston on Thursday, if necessary.

Two nights after his triple-double helped turn back the Hawks in overtime in Game 3, Rajon Rondo had 20 points and 16 assists as the Celtics got some much-needed rest for their aging and injured roster.

Josh Smith returned after missing Friday’s game and had 15 points and 13 rebounds for Atlanta. Al Horford, who played for the first time in almost four months, scored 12 points.

Rondo, whose triple-double Friday was the seventh of his career, may have been even better in Game 4, shooting 8 for 11 from the floor.

76ERS 89, BULLS 82

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Spencer Hawes scored 22 points and Jrue Holiday had 20 to help Philadelphia beat top-seeded Chicago for a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.

Andre Iguodala had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who have won the last three games after dropping Game 1 in Chicago.

Holiday stretched the lead with consecutive 3-pointers late in the game to put the Sixers one win away from becoming only the fifth No. 8 seed to win an opening round series. Memphis pulled it off last season against San Antonio, and Golden State (2007), New York (1999) and Denver (1994) also accomplished the rare feat

Carlos Boozer had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Taj Gibson added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls, who played without Derrick Rose (torn ACL) and Joakim Noah (sprained ankle). Rose is out for the season and Noah is day to day for the rest of the series.

Game 5 is Tuesday in Chicago.