Knicks need more patience on offense

Since mike woodson took over as knicks' coach in mid-march, the offense has through carmelo anthony more than ever. His usage rate has risen from 30.6 percent under Mike D' Antoni to 33.1 percent under Woodsen a rate which would have ranked second in the league behind Kobe Bryant.

The Heat are an aggressive defensive team, looking to take away their opponents' first option. They did their best to deny Anothony in the post in Game 1, never allowing him to get comfortable or the Knicks to run their offense the way they wanted to.

He's too good of a player to let him catch [the ball]where he wants to catch and operate. ''Shane Battier said after game 1. ''He's just too good .when your playing on him, get ready to go the hospital for your ankles, and take chances.


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HEAT VS KNICKS

The Heat went on a 32-4 run over the second and third quarters to turn the game into a rout. Despite not playing in the fourth quarter, LeBron James led all scorers with 32 points. Guard Dwyane Wade finished with 19 points while Mario Chalmers added 11 and nine assists.

The Heat held the Knicks to 35 percent shooting and forced 27 turnovers. New York, which lost all three games to Miami in the regular season, was led by J.R. Smith's 17 points off the bench.

QUOTABLE: "LeBron really led the way, obviously attacking, getting to the free throw line. He was on the back line of our defense, like a free safety, reading the offense in front of us."
-- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra

THE STAT: The Knicks' top three players, Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, combined to shoot 5 of 25 from the field.

TURNING POINT: The Heat outscored the Knicks 30-13 in the second quarter to take control, including a 24-2 run just before halftime.

QUOTABLE II: "They hit us in the mouth so we've got to see what we're made of now."
-- Knicks coach Mike Woodson

HOT: James finished 10 of 14 from the field in his short night. He was also able to get to the foul line, making 11 of 14 free throws.

NOT: The fact Anthony missed his first seven shots was the beginning of the bad night. He struggled all game, making 3 of 15 from the field.

GOOD MOVE: The Heat tried a new strategy on Anthony by fronting him in the post. It worked to almost perfection as Anthony's statistics show. Look for it to continue in the series until the Knicks find a way to combat it.

BAD MOVE: The Knicks let the Heat get to the line far too frequently. Twenty-eight free throws in the first half resulted in them being in foul trouble most of the way. Chandler had four fouls and Baron Davis three before halftime.

NOTABLE: Chandler was away from the team for three days because of the flu. He is expected to be fully recovered by Monday.

UP NEXT: Game 2 Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

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Derrick Rose will miss the remainder of the playoffs after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in the Chicago Bulls' Game 1 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Rose also will miss the upcoming Olympics in London.

The Bulls' win over the 76ers was a by-the-numbers affair until just less than a minute and a half left to go in the fourth quarter, when Rose was forced to leave the contest after planting awkwardly on his left knee. While driving on 76ers big man Spencer Hawes, Rose came to a jump stop, shifted uneasily and immediately passed the ball off  to teammate Carlos Boozer while clearly aware that something had gone wrong.

TNT's microphones picked up Rose telling the trainers, "I heard something pop." After writhing on the court for a few minutes, he was helped off by both the Chicago and Philadelphia trainers.

[Also: Rory McIlroy tweets proof he was ahead of the times with 'belly putter']

Rose — who has suffered through groin, ankle and foot injuries all season, missing 27 games in the process — learned the extent of his injury after having an MRI.

"It might be one of the saddest wins we've ever had," Boozer told Bulls.com's Sam Smith and other reporters.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau will take in criticism for having Rose on the floor with his team up 12 so late in the fourth quarter, but though Chicago was in control of the contest throughout, this wasn't a blowout and the former Coach of the Year should be absolved from blame. Though he has tempted fate in the past by leaving Rose and other Bulls on the court deep into one-sided wins, this wasn't an example of that. Rose finished with 23 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in Chicago's 101-93 win.

''I don't work backward like you guys do,'' Thibodeau told reporters in Chicago. ''The score was going the other way.''

In addition to damaging the Bulls' championship aspirations, Rose's injury also will keep him from playing for Team USA in the London Olympics this summer.

"My thoughts go out to DRose," Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen tweeted. "A great competitor and winner. No doubt in my mind he will do what it takes to bounce back."

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playoff game one-Bulls vs Sixers

Who will win the No.1 Chicago Bulls or the No.8 Philadelphia 76ers. Neither the Chicago players not their coach,Tom Thibodeau, seemed interested in bull-etin board by the topic-because they have bigger concerns than comments by a Sixers reserve guard(and high school rival of Derrick Rose). Like Rose's improwning health and the full transmission of gears in his game. Like ambitions that won't be met unless the Bulls get at least as fur as The Finals. Like making goods on the promise of their second consecutive regular season as the NBA's most successful team.




 When the Bulls have the ball... Neither team placed anyone among the NBA's top 40 in scoring, but in the Bull's case, that was because Rose(21.8ppg)missed too many games to qualify. When he is on the floor, he is chicago's motor and the aggressor from whom everything flows offensively. The Sixers will still try to trop Rose, get the ball out of his hands and make someone else beat them. When the Bulls have the ball... Transition is about Sixers, who scored 58 fast-break points in three meetings with Chicago(to the Bull's 21). Collins and his crew know they won't beat the Bulls that way, not with Philadelphia's lack of low-post threat and its limitations on the offensive boards. The easiest points they'll ever get is the open court. Louis  

Williams is their most potent scorer, though Iguodala has warned Uplate in the season and Elton Brand is trusting and taking his jumper more. With Joakin Noah, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, and the Sixers don't figure to get many second shots. But the Bulls aren't much for steals and Philadelphia doesn't cough up the ball readily(fewest turnovers, 11.2 per game, of the shot clock era) Author's saying... Charlos can't really rebound but he can score.Richard Hamilton can shut down two gUARDS. Philadelphia 76ERS is a great defensive team, But Chicago is a better defensive team. Philadelphia don't have a chance.

Kevin Durant, who has led the league each of the last two seasons, and Kobe Bryant aka the ''black mamba’’, who won scoring titles in 2005-06 and 2006-07. In Monday game Durant has a slight edge. Durant has two games remaining, while Bryant has one more. Did you Kevin Durant is the top scorer in the NBA. He made 1786 points so far. Kobe Bryant made 1616 points so far. And did you also know the Sacramento kings are the third- worst defensive team.





Well, back to Kevin and Kobe. Kevin Durant has been a much more efficient scorer. He has scored 1.42 points per field goal attempt, while Bryant scored 1.21 points per field goal attempt. Durant has scored from both inside and beyond the arc. Durant has been assisted on just 48 percent of his field goals, while Bryant has been assisted on just 44 percent of his.





 Durant and Bryant take a lot of mid-range shots. Durant gets to the basket more, In part be because he gets out in transition more often. He ranks sixth in the league with 280 fast- break points, which is 16 percent of his total scoring. Bryant's 146 fast break-points ranked 43rd, just 9 percent of his total scoring.