2012 NBA Playoffs: 5 Things to Watch as Heat vs. Knicks Series Heads to New York

The Miami Heat took a commanding lead 2-0 lead in their opening-round series against New York.  They have been able to dominate on both ends of the floor, not allowing the Knicks to sniff a lead in the fourth quarter.  Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James have severely outplayed Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler along the way.  Here are some things to look for as the series switches location.

Which Carmelo Anthony Will Show Up?

Carmelo Anthony was two completely different players in Game 1 vs. Game 2.  In Game 1 he went 3-15 en route to an 11 point, 10 rebound, three assist game.  Miami developed a solid game plan, making Anthony work for his touches by fronting him on the offensive end. This got Anthony out of rhythm early causing him to struggle throughout the game.

Since Melo has never been interested in defense, it is imperative his offensive game is there as it was in game two.  He still needed 26 shots to score 30 points, but looked much more comfortable on the offensive end. 

The Knicks changed their offensive game plan, getting Anthony easier touches further from the basket, which allowed him to go to work in isolation.  He flashes his array of moves in the mid-range game on the way to a 6-11 first quarter. 

Unfortunately for the Knicks, Melo tired as the game went on and was only 3-8 after halftime.  The Knicks will need him to be a difference maker in the second half to keep up with the offensive firepower Miami brings to the court every night.

Look for the energy in Madison Square Garden to keep Anthony energized throughout the game making him the difference maker he should be.

Who Will Guard Dwyane Wade?

Through two games in this series, Dwyane Wade has averaged 22 points per game on 61.3 percent shooting.  The Knicks defense suffered a huge blow when Iman Shumpert, the Knicks best on ball, perimeter defender, went down with a torn ACL in game one. 

Landry Fields was chose to start and defend Dwyane Wade in Game 2.  Wade got off to a fast start and Fields only played 18 minutes.  J.R. Smith was then called on to defend Wade and the Marquette product took Smith into the post, using his strength to create easy points.

After LeBron James' impressive Game 1 performance, New York altered to defensive game plan in an attempt to slow him down.  Unfortunately, Miami has another superstar that took over the scoring load in the first quarter.

Look for New York to send different defensive looks at Wade throughout game three.

Who Will Win the Role Player Battle?

Shane Battier, Mike Miller and the rest of the Heat role players made a big difference in Game 2, going 12-25 from the field, including 8-16 from three.  This type of efficient performance will make it hard for any team to beat Miami.

New York chose to double team James and Wade, which left Miller, Battier and others open beyond the arc.  With the common thought that role players play better at home than they do on the road, it will be interesting to see if Battier and friends continue to knock down open jump shots.

In the first two games, J.R. Smith and Baron Davis shot a combined 22-42 from the field.  The rest of the Knick role players shot a putrid 9-31. The isolation aspects of New York's offense makes it very tough for young role players to create their own shots.

The veteran duo of Davis and Smith should continue to play well as the series switches over to New York, but will any of the younger players step up?  New York is hoping so.

Will Amare Stoudemire's Be Available for Game 3?

During the halftime show of Oklahoma City vs. Dallas, David Aldridge of TNT reported Amare Stoudemire cut his hand badly after punching a fire extinguisher cover out of frustration.  He believed stitches were required and reported Tyson Chandler thought Stoudemire would not be available going forward.

Usually when a team loses its second best player, it is cause for concern.  However, Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler never seemed to play well together, and New York was 13-5 this year when Stoudemire didn't play.

Could the stupidity of Amare Stoudemire punching his way out of Game 3 actually help New York?  Look for New York to have better ball movement and play more of a team game if Stoudemire can't go.

Will Jeremy Lin Play in This Series?

With Jeremy Lin joining his team for on-court work while they were in Miami, it is starting to look like he may return in this series.  This could provide an instant boost to a team they may have just lost Amare Stoudemire.

With two practice days before Game 3, Lin and the Knicks should be able to gauge if he has made enough progress to rejoin his team Thursday. 

If he returns, Lin's ability to penetrate and create shots for other should boost the value of role players like Landry Fields and Steve Novak.  Having the ball in Lin's hands will also keep the offense from getting stagnant, which it tends to do when Carmelo or Amare get their hands on the ball.

Having Lin get some playoff run could be the spark New York needs to make this a series.