Gerald Green scores 25, leads Heat to 97-78 rout of Knicks

NEW YORK (AP) With the force of ''The Hurricane,'' the Miami Heat once again blew away the Knicks.

Gerald Green scored a season-high 25 points while starting in place of Luol Deng, and the Heat beat New York 97-78 on Friday night for their second victory over the Knicks this week.

Chris Bosh added 20 points and Dwyane Wade had 17 for the Heat, who held the Knicks to 78 points in both victories over the last six nights.

Green showed off his entire repertoire during a superb fourth-quarter stretch that turned the game into a blowout and sent the Heat to their eighth straight victory over the Knicks, their longest winning streak in the series.

''We all call him The Hurricane because he's got that kind of explosive energy,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Green outplayed New York All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who missed his final eight shots over the last three quarters as the Knicks lost their third straight.

Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis each scored 11 points.

''I don't think they made any kind of adjustments,'' Anthony said. ''I thought they stayed with their game plan from the beginning. I just couldn't find it in the second half for whatever reason.''

The Heat beat the Knicks 95-78 on Monday in Miami but then lost 104-81 on Wednesday in Detroit in their first game without Deng, who has a strained left hamstring. Green started for the first time this season in that one but Spoelstra said before the game he hadn't decided if Green would get the nod again Friday in part because he was concerned about defending Anthony.

Not a problem, because nobody could defend Green.

And Green, who missed six games this season after he needed hospitalization following an incident at his apartment and was later suspended by the team, showed he's not just about scoring.

''Offense for me is going to come easy,'' Green said. ''Some days I'm going to hit shots, some days I'm not, but what I do have to do, which is a requirement to wear this jersey, is to go out there and keep playing defense and that's what I'm going to do.''

The Heat led by eight early in the fourth quarter before Green drove baseline for a dunk, nailed a 3-pointer and threw down another dunk on an alley-oop to make it 85-70. After a basket by Porzingis, Green made another jumper, then followed Justise Winslow's basket with another 3 that put it away at 92-72 with just under 6 minutes to play.

Anthony was 4 of 5 for 11 points in the first quarter, but never got anything going again after returning from a break in the second. Miami rallied to go ahead by one at halftime and then took control with its defense, holding New York to 29 points after halftime.

''I think we fell apart in the second half,'' Anthony said. ''For whatever reason, we just fell apart.''

The Knicks managed three baskets in the first 7-plus minutes of the third quarter, and two of them came on follow shots. Hassan Whiteside blocked two shots on one possession as the Heat pushed their lead to 73-64 heading to the fourth.

TIP-INS

Heat: Amare Stoudemire missed his first chance to return to Madison Square Garden because of an illness. He spent nearly five seasons with the Knicks and has appeared in just two games since signing with Miami in the offseason.

Knicks: The team opened a four-game homestand. New York's next three games are against Houston, Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Those clubs began play Friday with a combined 8-38 record.

LUOL'S LEG

Deng last played Monday against the Knicks. He said he felt his hamstring tighten during the game and it affected his movement, so he and the trainers decided he should sit out again Friday to be smart. Deng hopes to return Monday against Boston.

HEAT'S STREAK

Miami had defeated the Knicks seven straight times on two previous occasions. The Heat's longest active winning streak against one team is 10 in a row versus Phoenix.

UP NEXT

Heat: Host Boston on Monday.

Knicks: Host Houston on Sunday.

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