| Knicks vs 76ers and Heat vs Rockets | | | | Marbury sank a 3-pointer, then Korver did what |
| 27th February 2007 | | | | he does best - yup, bury another 3. |
| Author: Peter Sparks | | | | When he hit his sixth 3-pointer of the game late in |
| 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 |
| impressive 76ers team still trying to find an | | | | was wiped out by some torrid shooting. Korver |
| identity without Allen Iverson. I also liked the Heat | | | | and Louis Williams each hit 3-pointers during a 10-0 |
| visiting a Rockets team without Yao Ming. Shaq is | | | | run that opened the second quarter. Korvers 3 |
| playing his way back into shape and I fully | | | | made it 41-29 and the Sixers eventually stretched |
| expected him to dominate in this game. | | | | the lead to 15 points -- a 26-point turnaround |
| So last night, my picks were as follows: | | | | from late in the first quarter. |
| Knicks +2 at 76ers | | | | Led by Korver, Sixers reserves scored 32 points |
| Heat +3 at Rockets | | | | in the first half on 13-for-17 shooting. Green made |
| Kyle Korver pretty much single handedly made | | | | all four of his shots and Korver went 3-for-4 |
| me a loser in the first game as he made six | | | | from 3-point range to take a 53-38 lead. |
| 3-pointers and matched a career high with 31 | | | | My last hope came in game 2 as the Miami Heat |
| points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 104-84 | | | | visited the Houston Rockets. |
| victory over the Knicks. He scored 14 points in | | | | Dwyane Wade dislocated his left shoulder late |
| the second quarter while the Sixers took a | | | | while Miami tried to make a comeback |
| 15-point lead. After the Knicks whittled the lead | | | | Tracy McGrady scored 32 points to lead the |
| down to five in the fourth, he sank a pair of 3s | | | | Rockets. But the real story was when Wade, |
| that pushed back New York and help Philadelphia | | | | who left with 27 points, got tangled up with |
| snap a three-game losing streak. | | | | Shane Battier and grimaced in pain before going |
| Korver was red hot, going 6-for-7 from 3-point | | | | to the bench. A couple of minutes later he was |
| range and 11-of-14 overall. Andre Miller scored 19 | | | | helped into a wheelchair and taken off the bench. |
| points, Joe Smith had 14 and Steven Hunter 11 | | | | He was not moving his left arm and appeared to |
| for the Sixers. | | | | be in severe pain as he was wheeled away. |
| Eddy Curry had 22 points and Jamal Crawford 14 | | | | A basket by Wade with 11:15 to go got Miami |
| for the Knicks while Renaldo Balkman scored 13 | | | | within 89-80 and Alonzo Mourning hit one free |
| and Stephon Marbury had 12 points. Balkman was | | | | throw to cut the lead to eight. The Rockets then |
| sensational during a big Knicks run in the third, | | | | added four 3-pointers, including two on |
| turned a sharp entry pass into a layup | | | | consecutive possessions by McGrady to go ahead |
| underneath, and Crawford sank two free throws | | | | 103-88, and the Heat wouldnt threaten again. |
| that trimmed the lead to 76-71 in the fourth. | | | | The Rockets, spurred by nine quick points by |
| Then Korver took over as he scored on a driving | | | | McGrady, went on a 15-4 run in the first quarter |
| layup and sank a free throw, then Smith made a | | | | that gave them a 18-8 lead. Houston outscored |
| 20-footer for a 10-point lead and some needed | | | | the Heat 9-2 late in the second quarter to push |
| breathing room. | | | | their lead to 63-48 at halftime. |
| Marbury converted a three-point play, only to | | | | So overall, it wasnt a good night for me as I |
| have Korver come right back and drill a 3. | | | | went 0 for 2. Theres always tomorrow. |