| The Knicks have been notoriously bad on the 2nd | | | | the fourth, the Sixers went ahead 97-80 and the |
| half of back to backs this season but I expected | | | | Knicks had no more runs left. |
| their fortunes to change against a less than | | | | The Knicks built an early11-point lead before it was |
| impressive 76ers team still trying to find an identity | | | | wiped out by some torrid shooting. Korver and Louis |
| without Allen Iverson. I also liked the Heat visiting a | | | | Williams each hit 3-pointers during a 10-0 run that |
| Rockets team without Yao Ming. Shaq is playing his | | | | opened the second quarter. Korvers 3 made it 41-29 |
| way back into shape and I fully expected him to | | | | and the Sixers eventually stretched the lead to 15 |
| dominate in this game. | | | | points -- a 26-point turnaround from late in the first |
| So last night, my picks were as follows: | | | | quarter. |
| Knicks +2 at 76ers | | | | Led by Korver, Sixers reserves scored 32 points in |
| Heat +3 at Rockets | | | | the first half on 13-for-17 shooting. Green made all |
| Kyle Korver pretty much single handedly made me a | | | | four of his shots and Korver went 3-for-4 from |
| loser in the first game as he made six 3-pointers and | | | | 3-point range to take a 53-38 lead. |
| matched a career high with 31 points to lead the | | | | My last hope came in game 2 as the Miami Heat |
| Philadelphia 76ers to a 104-84 victory over the | | | | visited the Houston Rockets. |
| Knicks. He scored 14 points in the second quarter | | | | Dwyane Wade dislocated his left shoulder late while |
| while the Sixers took a 15-point lead. After the Knicks | | | | Miami tried to make a comeback |
| whittled the lead down to five in the fourth, he sank | | | | Tracy McGrady scored 32 points to lead the Rockets. |
| a pair of 3s that pushed back New York and help | | | | But the real story was when Wade, who left with 27 |
| Philadelphia snap a three-game losing streak. | | | | points, got tangled up with Shane Battier and |
| Korver was red hot, going 6-for-7 from 3-point range | | | | grimaced in pain before going to the bench. A couple |
| and 11-of-14 overall. Andre Miller scored 19 points, Joe | | | | of minutes later he was helped into a wheelchair and |
| Smith had 14 and Steven Hunter 11 for the Sixers. | | | | taken off the bench. He was not moving his left arm |
| Eddy Curry had 22 points and Jamal Crawford 14 for | | | | and appeared to be in severe pain as he was |
| the Knicks while Renaldo Balkman scored 13 and | | | | wheeled away. |
| Stephon Marbury had 12 points. Balkman was | | | | A basket by Wade with 11:15 to go got Miami within |
| sensational during a big Knicks run in the third, turned | | | | 89-80 and Alonzo Mourning hit one free throw to cut |
| a sharp entry pass into a layup underneath, and | | | | the lead to eight. The Rockets then added four |
| Crawford sank two free throws that trimmed the | | | | 3-pointers, including two on consecutive possessions |
| lead to 76-71 in the fourth. | | | | by McGrady to go ahead 103-88, and the Heat |
| Then Korver took over as he scored on a driving | | | | wouldnt threaten again. |
| layup and sank a free throw, then Smith made a | | | | The Rockets, spurred by nine quick points by |
| 20-footer for a 10-point lead and some needed | | | | McGrady, went on a 15-4 run in the first quarter that |
| breathing room. | | | | gave them a 18-8 lead. Houston outscored the Heat |
| Marbury converted a three-point play, only to have | | | | 9-2 late in the second quarter to push their lead to |
| Korver come right back and drill a 3. Marbury sank a | | | | 63-48 at halftime. |
| 3-pointer, then Korver did what he does best - yup, | | | | So overall, it wasnt a good night for me as I went 0 |
| bury another 3. | | | | for 2. Theres always tomorrow. |
| When he hit his sixth 3-pointer of the game late in | | | | |