+2
Dwyane Wade made his return and looked no worse for wear in a 99-89 win over the Knicks on Friday night.
And he's back! After two weeks on the shelf with an sprained right ankle, Dwyane Wade will make his return on Friday night as the Miami Heat face the New York Knicks. Wade was dealing with a variety of ailments over the past two weeks, though the ankle was the most significant problem. This photo and video explain why pretty nicely.
After testing his ankle on Wednesday and looking pretty healthy in the process, the Heat announced Wade wasn't quite ready. But he was close, even if the team maintained he would remain out for a while longer.
Dwyane Wade WILL play tonight.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) January 27, 2012
Unfortunately, Carmelo Anthony is out for Friday night's game, taking away a bit of the shine of the nationally televised matchup.
For more on the Heat, check out Miami Heat blog Peninsula Is Mightier. For more around the Association, check out SB Nation's NBA news hub.
The Miami Heat and the New York Knicks may both be shorthanded when they meet in Miami on Friday night. Of course, the injuries aren't anything new. Carmelo Anthony has been hampered by ankle and wrist injuries for most of the season, and will finally be getting a much-needed two game rest starting with tonight's game. Dwyane Wade is still a game-time decison as he was Wednesday night when he was held out against the Detroit Pistons.
If Wade is any kind of example, the Knicks may be better off without their star swingman. Much ado has been made about the Heat's 8-1 record with Wade on the bench. Though Miami would certainly like to have their Big 3 back on the court together as soon as possible, there is no denying that the offense has looked very good at times with LeBron James unencumbered by sharing.
The Knicks need as much help as they can get, having dropped seven of their last eight games. In their most recent, Anthony went just 5-14 from the floor and Amare Stoudemire committed six turnovers to lose 81-91 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. While optimists like to point out that Miami's Big 3 dynamic got a late start last season, the New York Big 3, with the addition of Tyson Chandler, appears to have much farther to go.
The two teams tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. Television coverage will appear on ESPN and ESPN3.
For more on the Knicks, be sure to visit the SB Nation blog Posting An Toasting. For more on the Heat, check out Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the basketball world in general, be sure to visit SB Nation's NBA page.
Knicks Vs. Heat Final Score: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade Power Miami To 99-89 Victory
In Dwyane Wade's return to the Miami Heat on Friday night, his team had little trouble dealing with the visiting New York Knicks. Behind dominant performances by Wade and LeBron James, the Heat cruised to a 99-89 win, improving to 14-5 on the season and 8-2 when playing at home. The Knicks, meanwhile, dropped to 7-12 overall.
The Knicks matched the Heat in the early going, ending the first quarter with the score tied 22-22. The Heat entered halftime holding a four-point lead and although the Knicks outscored Miami 23-22 in the third quarter, a big fourth quarter for the home team was more than enough to seal the deal.
James led all scorers with 31 points, also picking up eight rebounds and seven assists. Chris Bosh narrowly missed out on a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing nine boards.
Wade's ankle seemed to be feeling fine, as evidenced by his 28 points and five steals. Thanks to some fine camera work folllowing a LeBron dunk, we could also see that the ankle was not an impediment to him getting pumped up about how awesome his team is.
Toney Douglas was the lead scorer for the Knicks, with 16 points. Landry Fields added 14 and Amare Stoudemire contributed 12.
For more on the Knicks, be sure to visit the SB Nation blog Posting And Toasting. For more on the Heat, check out Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the basketball world in general, be sure to visit SB Nation's NBA page.
Jan 27 10:53p by Bill Hanstock - 0 comments