The Miami Heat will try to close out their first round series against the New York Knicks, when the two Eastern Conference powerhouses meet on May 6. The Heat haven’t lost a single game to the Knicks this year, and I don’t think their Sunday encounter will be any different.

Simply put, the Heat have completely dominated the Knicks in the first three games of their series, shooting 48 percent from the field, while holding their rivals to a 39 percent field goal conversion rate. The Knicks’ injury problems have certainly been a factor in the way things have gone down, and there’s a pretty good chance they won’t have the services of Amare Stoudemire for Game 4.

Miami fans couldn’t be any happier with the “big three,” as they have lived up to expectations, carrying their team to three consecutive victories. LeBron James continues to defy critics – who say he isn’t able to perform in the fourth quarter, dropping 17 points in the final quarter of Game 3 to secure the Heat victory.

Guard Mario Chalmers has also been a bright spot for the Heat, averaging 14.3 points and 5 assists per game in their first three playoff games against the Knicks.

Obviously, the Knicks have no intentions to go down without a fight, and the Heat will have to bring their A-game for Game 4.

“We’re just trying to come in, take each game as its own game at a time and not look at it like we’re up 3-0,” Dwyane Wade told reporters about the Heat’s upcoming game. “This is the fourth game. We’ve got to come in and play this game. And you can’t think about anything else. After that, if we take care of business and do our job, then we get some rest and get ready for the next series. But it’s a big game and we’ve got to approach it that way.”

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “Heat-Knicks Preview”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Cruise Past Toronto Raptors

Miami Heat’s Defense Stifles Bulls

Washington Wizards Derail Miami Heat

Miami Heat Look for Redemption Against Celtics

Miami Heat Improve to 2-0 Against Knicks

NEW YORK — LeBron James had more turnovers and fouls than baskets, and still the Miami Heat were ahead.

James didn’t like having to sit, but he sure liked what he saw.

“I’m not a guy who’s in foul trouble a lot, so it was difficult for me to sit down early in the third,” he said. “But we have a great supporting cast. Our defense was tremendous in the third quarter. It allowed us to go into the fourth quarter with a lead.”

Then James came back and increased it.

James scored 32 points, including eight straight to start the fourth quarter and break open the game, and the Heat took a 3-0 series lead, sending the New York Knicks to an NBA postseason-record 13th straight loss, 87-70 on Thursday night.

James had 17 points in the final period for the Heat, who held the short-handed Knicks to eight field goals in the second half and will go for the sweep Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

“He just has to stay with it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He had some turnovers, he had some mistakes but he was able to keep his head in it.”

Wade added 20 points for the Heat and Mario Chalmers had 19, hitting consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter when the Heat finally brought some beauty to what had been an ugly game.

Wade was forced to go the whole third quarter while James was limited to just 4 1/2 minutes by fouls. Wade had 12 points in the period, knowing the two-time MVP would be coming back with fresh legs.

“I thought probably sitting over there that whole third quarter was probably good for him, because he came right in right away and got right at it. He didn’t waste any time,” Wade said. “He’s never really in foul trouble, so I thought it was good for him.”

Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points but shot 7 of 23 for the Knicks, who are playing without Amare Stoudemire, Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert and needed a super effort from Anthony that he didn’t come close to providing.

“When you can’t score the basketball, that makes the game extremely hard, no matter how much defense we go down there and play,” Anthony said.

The Knicks broke the record set by Memphis from 2004-06. They haven’t won a playoff game since April 29, 2001, Game 3 of a best-of-five series against Toronto.

No NBA team has overcome a 3-0 deficit.

Playing their first playoff game at Madison Square Garden, Miami Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade made it a memorable one. After Wade scored 12 of his 20 points in the third quarter to help Miami take the lead for good, James scored 17 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to help the Heat finish off an 87-70 win over the Knicks on Thursday, pushing New York to the brink of elimination from the 2012 NBA Playoffs. “I just wanted to make plays to help our team win,” James said. “We had a great supporting cast, and a great player like D-Wade, who made shots and kept us afloat, and our defense was tremendous in the third quarter.” Miami now leads the series 3-0, with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Carmelo Anthony had 22 points to lead the Knicks, who led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter, but couldn’t sustain their performance into the second half of a game they played without both Amare Stoudemire (lacerated hand) and Iman Shumpert (torn ACL and lateral meniscus). “We couldn’t find it,” Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said. “Their defense was awfully good. You have to give them credit. Third quarter, they fought. Offensively, we just didn’t have it. We were so stagnant.” The Knicks took an early 4-1 lead on a pair of Baron Davis free throws and a Landry Fields putback, but the Heat responded with an 10-0 run, eventually taking a 19-10 lead with 4:07 left in the first quarter. The Knicks responded with a 9-0 run to close out the first quarter, leaving the teams tied through 12 minutes. New York proceeded to score the first five points of the second quarter, then continued the run, taking a 28-20 lead with 8:13 remaining in the second quarter. By the time Wade’s layup made it 28-22, the Heat had been held without a field goal for 10:09. Miami continued to battle back, cutting the lead to 28-27 behind three James free throws and a Mario Chalmers jumper, but Fields drilled a three and assisted on a J.R. Smith dunk to spark a 9-0 run. Trailing 40-29 with 1:44 left, Miami closed out the half on a 7-0 run, with Chris Bosh, James and Wade all connecting to cut the Knicks’ lead to four at the half. In the third quarter, the game of runs gave way to a tightly contested slugfest, with the Knicks shooting just 3 of 15 from the floor, but staying close with nine free throws in the frame. Still, the Heat was able to surge ahead behind Wade’s 12 points in the quarter, taking a 58-56 lead into the final 12 minutes. “It seems like we can’t score the ball right now,” said Anthony, who connected on just 7 of his 23 shots from the floor. “That is the toughest part right now. Tonight, we played phenomenal defense for most of the game.” James took over to open the fourth quarter, scoring eight consecutive points to give Miami a 66-56 lead with 10:37 remaining. The Knicks got back to within seven points on an Anthony jumper with 7:01 left, but a Wade layup and a pair of Chalmers threes put the Heat up by 15, allowing them to coast to the victory. “It was a good team win,” Miami head coach Erik Spolestra said. “Coaches like those kind of wins, where you are not necessarily playing well, and certain parts of the game were ugly. On the road, you like to see your team show some resiliency and toughness to get back into it, and guys made big plays in the second half.” The Knicks, who haven’t won a home playoff game since April 22, 2001, are hoping to show some resiliency and toughness of their own when Game 4 tips off. “We believe,” Anthony said. “Our heads are high. Our confidence is still high. We are not moping around, hanging our heads. I am not allowing us to do that. We have a couple of days to get right, and Sunday is another chance to get out there and win a basketball game.”NOTES: Bosh did not arrive at Madison Square Garden until 5 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. He returned to Miami on Wednesday after learning that his wife, Adrienne, had gone into labor, and returned to New York after his son, Jackson, was born at 3 a.m. on Thursday morning….A day after becoming the first Knicks player to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award, center Tyson Chandler blocked two shots in the first quarter, including a stuff of Udonis Haslem on the game’s first possession….Former Knicks Bernard King, Earl Monroe, Larry Johnson and John Starks were in attendance for the game, as were New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck, New York Jets offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and New York Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese.

NEW YORK – It took the better part of three quarters, but the Miami Heat finally got hot. After Dwyane Wade scored 12 of his 20 points in the third quarter to help Miami take the lead for good, LeBron James scored 17 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to help the Heat finish off an 87-70 win over the Knicks on Thursday, pushing New York to the brink of elimination from the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Miami now leads the series 3-0, with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Carmelo Anthony had 22 points to lead the Knicks, who led by as many as nine points in the second quarter, but couldn’t sustain their performance into the second half. The Knicks took an early 4-1 lead on a pair of Baron Davis free throws and a Landry Fields putback, but the Heat responded with an 10-0 run, eventually taking a 19-10 lead with 4:07 left in the first quarter. The Knicks responded with a 9-0 run to close out the first quarter, leaving the teams tied through 12 minutes. New York proceeded to score the first five points of the second quarter, then continued the run, taking a 28-20 lead with 8:13 remaining in the second quarter. By the time Wade’s layup made it 28-22, the Heat had been held without a field goal for 10:09. Miami continued to battle back, cutting the lead to 28-27 behind three James free throws and a Mario Chalmers jumper, but Fields drilled a three and assisted on a J.R. Smith dunk to spark a 9-0 run. Trailing 40-29 with 1:44 left, Miami closed out the half on a 7-0 run, with Chris Bosh, James and Wade all connecting to cut the Knicks’ lead to four at the half. In the third quarter, the game of runs gave way to a tightly contested slugfest, with the Knicks shooting just 3 of 15 from the floor, but staying close with nine free throws in the frame. Still, the Heat was able to surge ahead behind Wade’s 12 points in the quarter, taking a 58-56 lead into the final 12 minutes. James took over to open the fourth quarter, scoring eight consecutive points to give Miami a 66-56 lead with 10:37 remaining. The Knicks got back to within seven points on an Anthony jumper with 7:01 left, but a Wade layup and a pair of Chalmers threes put the Heat up by 15, allowing them to coast to the victory. NOTES: Bosh did not arrive at Madison Square Garden until 5 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. He returned to Miami on Wednesday after learning that his wife, Adrienne, had gone into labor, and returned to New York after his son, Jackson, was born at 3 a.m. on Thursday morning….A day after becoming the first Knicks player to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award, center Tyson Chandler blocked two shots in the first quarter, including a stuff of Udonis Haslem on the game’s first possession….Former Knicks Bernard King, Earl Monroe, Larry Johnson and John Starks were in attendance for the game, as were New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck, New York Jets offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and New York Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese.

The Miami Heat have dominated the first two games of their first round series against the New York Knicks, and they’ll look for another victory when the rival teams meet on May 3.

To make things even better for the Heat, Amare Stoudemire won’t be able to suit up for Game 3, due to a hand injury. Frustrated with the way things have gone so far in the series, Stoudemire punched the glass casing covering a fire extinguisher on his way to the locker room after Game 2, picking up some pretty nasty cuts in the process. He’ll definitely be missed by the Knicks on Thursday.

The Heat were inconsistent on the road during the second half of the 2011/12 NBA season, but they should be fine against the shorthanded Knicks. With Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert sidelined, the Heat should be able to punish the Knicks inside the paint, and I expect a solid performance from Chris Bosh.

Offensively, the Heat have played well so far in the playoffs, but their defense wavered in Game 2, allowing the Knicks to shoot 49 percent from the field. Luckily for them, their offense was able to pick up the slack, but they certainly don’t want to get comfortable with playing sloppy defense.

If the Heat take a 3-0 lead in the series, the Knicks chances of mounting a comeback are slim to none. And there is no question they’ll bring their A-game on Thursday. The Heat should be up to the task though, and I expect another dominant display.

“It’s going to add a lot,” LeBron James told reporters about the Heat’s upcoming contest. “We understand the intensity is going to rise even more. I’ve had an opportunity to play a lot of games in that building, but none quite as big as these. This is the Mecca of basketball and it comes with a little more incentive. There’s a lot of history in this building. But we understand what we’re there for.”

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “Heat-Knicks Preview”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Cruise Past Toronto Raptors

Miami Heat’s Defense Stifles Bulls

Washington Wizards Derail Miami Heat

Miami Heat Look for Redemption Against Celtics

Miami Heat Improve to 2-0 Against Knicks

LeBron James arrived with great expectations, joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat two years ago with talk of multiple NBA titles and the jaw-dropping acrobatic plays that made him a star.

After falling short last year by losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, the Heat went 46-20 this season to earn a No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs behind NBA overall leader Chicago.

That will send the Heat into a first-round matchup starting at home on Saturday against the New York Knicks. The Heat went 3-0 against New York during the regular season.

“I’m looking forward to it,” James said of the playoffs. “I’ve been ready for this moment for a while.”

While the focus will be on making this season a success, the Heat will take inspiration from having lost last year’s best-of-seven championship final to the Mavericks in six games.

“I’m a firm believer of moving on,” Wade said. “But, also, I think, for us, we have to have guys take a minute and go back to that dark place and how we felt and understand what we’re shooting for and what we want to get back to.

“Obviously, we’ve got to look back and we’ve got to feel that pain a little bit to remember.”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says the entire roster is ready despite Wade missing the final three games of the season with a dislocated left index finger and Bosh sitting out the last six with a right hamstring strain.

“We would have loved to have an extra day, but it is what it is,” James said of time to heal. “I do like to prepare a lot longer than one day.”

Whereas the Heat stars were still coming together last year even after a full season together, they know each other much better this time around.

“We’re more comfortable with one another heading into this post-season,” James said. “Last year, we were playing a lot off instinct.”

Miami players also know what they are getting with the Heat. James figures to see a lot of Carmelo Anthony, his 2008 US Olympic gold medal teammate, and Bosh will be tested by Amare Stoudemire.

New York’s inside players will try to open up 3-point shooting chances for J.R. Smith and others.

“We know that we’ve got to run ‘em off the 3-point line, try to contain them from getting layups,” Wade said. “It’s kind of what we’ve been working on.”

Wade said the Heat players know their roles better than they did a year ago.

“We have done a good job of figuring out who’s going to close games and that’s not always meaning it’s going to come out to a positive result, but we’re comfortable with who has the ball at the end,” Wade said.

“It’s not that, ‘Maybe-I-should, maybe-I-shouldn’t’ thing. I think we’ve figured it out. It’s unspoken.”

Bosh could miss some time with the Heat in the second round because his wife, Adrienne, is expecting their third child in mid-May.

“I’ve got a beeper,” Bosh said. “When it goes off, I’ll be ready. We’ll see what happens.”

The Miami Heat closed out the 2011/12 NBA season with a loss, losing 104-70 against the Washington Wizards on April 26. For the Heat, it was their worst defeat of the season, but the result of the game was completely meaningless. Still, it certainly wasn’t the way the Heat would have liked to end their season, but I don’t think it’ll affect their morale entering into the playoffs.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wisely decided to rest the “big three,” and Miami’s role players looked lost without their leaders. They simply played poor basketball against the Wizards, shooting 36 percent from the field.

By the end of the first quarter, the Wizards had built up a ten point lead, and it only got worse as the game progressed. They outscored Miami in every quarter of the game, cruising to the 34 point victory.

“If we land safely and the plane touches down in Miami, it’s a victory,” Shane Battier told reporters after the embarrassing loss. “That was a nasty game. Luckily no one was injured, seriously, that’s what you take away from this game.”

The Heat will now get two days rest before starting off the playoffs against the New York Knicks. The Heat dominated the Knicks during the regular season, winning all three encounters between the two teams by at least eight points. They shouldn’t have any problems against the Knicks, and I’ll be shocked if the series goes over five games.

“This will be a great first-round matchup,” Spoelstra told reporters about the Heat’s series against the Knicks. “The way the season’s been, we couldn’t expect anything other than to play after a day. We don’t need more than that. We’re in the same place the Knicks are in.”

Even though the Heat didn’t finish with the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings, things couldn’t have turned out any better for them. They’ll now have a relatively easy path to the conference finals, while the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics will most likely collide in the second round.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “Wizards trounce Heat while Big Three watch from bench”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Secure Division Title with Win Against Knicks

Miami Heat Cruise Past Toronto Raptors

Miami Heat’s Defense Stifles Bulls

Washington Wizards Derail Miami Heat

Miami Heat Look for Redemption Against Celtics

MIAMI — LeBron James had 32 points and eight rebounds, Norris Cole added 16 points and the Miami Heat pulled away in the final minutes to beat Houston 97-88 on Sunday night and eliminate the Rockets from postseason contention.

Mike Miller scored 11 for injury-depleted Miami, which still has a mathematical chance of catching Chicago for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Joel Anthony added 11 for the Heat on 5-for-5 shooting.

Chandler Parsons scored a career-high 23 for Houston, which led by as many as 13 in the first half. Parsons tied the game at 83 with a layup late in the fourth, before James’ 3-pointer sparked an 8-0 run that put Miami in control.

Goran Dragic scored 16, while Courtney Lee and Patrick Patterson had 14 apiece for the Rockets. Luis Scola scored 12.

The Heat played without starters Dwyane Wade (dislocated left index finger), Chris Bosh (leg muscle fatigue) and Mario Chalmers (flulike symptoms). Backup center Ronny Turiaf missed his seventh straight game while recovering from a hamstring problem.

It’s unclear if Wade – who after getting hurt on Saturday said he will be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs next weekend – will play in either of Miami’s two remaining regular-season games, at Boston on Tuesday and at Washington on Thursday.

Miami would like to have Bosh and Turiaf back for at least a portion of that road trip, and Chalmers is listed as day-to-day. He was a late scratch from Miami’s starting lineup on Sunday.

So it was yet another pieced-together starting lineup that Miami sent to open the game, the 16th different one for the Heat this season – and their seventh in their last seven games.

And things didn’t start well.

The Heat missed their first six shots and trailed 23-10 after Scola made a hook shot with 3:54 left in the opening quarter. Houston’s lead was still double digits at 38-28 with 6:59 remaining until halftime, before Miami used a 17-6 run to take a one-point lead at intermission. Miller’s 3-pointer with 25 seconds left gave the Heat their first – and only – lead of the half, 45-44.

Parsons had his second-best scoring quarter of the season in the third, finishing with 12 of Houston’s 25 as the Rockets took a 69-66 lead into the fourth. Back and forth it went, the game being tied on four separate occasions in the final quarter, the last of those coming when Parsons drove on James for a layup and his 23rd point, setting the season best for the rookie.

On the next possession, James took aim from the left wing and hit a 3-pointer over Parsons to put Miami up for good. And after a steal by Shane Battier, Miller added another 3 from the right corner 24 seconds later to give the Heat what was then their biggest lead at 89-83.

Playing back in his home state for the first time as a pro, Parsons finished 10 for 13 from the floor. He spent four seasons at Florida, appearing in 142 games and averaging 10.2 points before the Rockets grabbed him in the second round of last year’s draft.

NOTES: Miami finished the regular season 28-5 at home, the second-best percentage in team history. The Heat will finish no worse than tied for the NBA lead in home wins this season. … Houston’s Kyle Lowry did not play and is expected to sit the Rockets’ regular-season finale against New Orleans as well. He missed 15 games after the All-Star break because of a bacterial infection and struggled since returning. … Udonis Haslem had a game-high 11 rebounds for Miami.

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The Miami Heat bounced right back from their embarrassing loss to the Washington Wizards, defeating the Houston Rockets 97-88 on April 21. Unfortunately for the Heat, their win didn’t mean much, as their loss to the Wizards diminished all hopes of securing the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James suited up on Sunday, but the Rockets held their ground against the Heat, taking a five point lead into the fourth quarter. LeBron wasn’t about to close out the season at the American Airlines Arena with a loss though, taking over the game in the final quarter. When it was all said and done, Heat fans showed their appreciation for “The King,” chanting “M-V-P!” as the Heat superstar headed back to the locker-room.

“It was a good team win, a lot of guys stepped up,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game. “It was good to have LeBron back, but a lot of guys contributed. … I think LeBron is having a historic season”

With the win, the Heat finish the 2011/12 NBA season tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the best home-record in the league.

Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers, and Chris Bosh were a little too banged up to suit up against the Rockets, but LeBron and a handful of role players stepped up in their absence. LeBron shot the ball well against the Rockets, converting on 11 of his 21 field goal attempts. He finished with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Rookie Norris Cole broke out of his funk against the Rockets, finishing with 16 points, and 4 rebounds. The Heat also got some much needed help from Mike Miller and Joel Anthony, who finished with 11 points and 6 rebounds apiece.

Given how much the Heat’s role players have struggled since the All-Star break, it’s certainly nice to see them playing solid basketball. If they keep it up in the postseason, they’ll be a serious force to be reckoned with.

Miami’s next game will be against the Boston Celtics on April 24.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “LeBron James tallies 32 as Dwyane Wade-less Heat pull…”

Player and game information from ESPN.com and MiamiHeat.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Bounce Back Against Bobcats

Miami Heat Secure Division Title with Win Against Knicks

Miami Heat Cruise Past Toronto Raptors

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Washington Wizards Derail Miami Heat

After defeating the Chicago Bulls two days ago, the Miami Heat ran into some problems against the Washington Wizards, losing 86-84 on April 21. With the loss, the Heat will have to settle for the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra decided to rest LeBron James and Chris Bosh against the Wizards, but the Heat received an unexpected surprise early in the first quarter, when Dwyane Wade dislocated his finger. With Wade out, the Heat’s role players were forced to carry the load against the Wizards.

Even in defeat, Spoelstra seemed pleased with the way the role players played, and he wasn’t too worried about their position in the conference standings.

“This was a great game for the rest of the guys,” Spoelstra told reporters after the game. “To be able to compete, the guys showed a lot of toughness, especially when we got down double digits, to find a different way and not have to rely on Dwyane and Chris and LeBron. There were some brilliant, tough plays on both ends.”

Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier led the Heat’s offense against the Wizards, finishing with 16 points apiece. Dexter Pittman and Norris Cole also played well for the Heat, finishing with 12 and 11 points respectively.

Even without the “big three,” the Heat maintained their defensive mindset, holding the Wizards to 41 percent shooting from the field. Given the problems the Heat have faced in the second half of the 2011/12 NBA season, it’s certainly nice to see that they’re capable of playing solid defense without their superstars.

However, I didn’t particularly like Spoelstra’s decision to keep LeBron on the bench, particularly when it was obvious Wade wasn’t going to return to the game. He’ll certainly get some flak for that, and I can only hope Spoelstra’s decision doesn’t come back to haunt them in the playoffs.

Miami’s next game will be against the Houston Rockets on April 22.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “Miami Heat Look for Another Win Against Wizards”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Boston Celtics Light Up the Miami Heat

Miami Heat Bounce Back Against Bobcats

Miami Heat Secure Division Title with Win Against Knicks

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Miami Heat’s Defense Stifles Bulls

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the first time ever, the Miami HEAT’s big three stand together at 16, 18 and 20-feet tall, respectively. PrimeTime Amusements (www.primetimeamusements.com), a global operator, seller and event renter of video arcade machines and simulators, has made Miami’s biggest sports figures — Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh — commonly referred to as the “Big Three” truly BIGGER than life. The massive statues are made from Styrofoam and were hand-carved by a professional sculptor before being hard-coated and painted. The creation of the statues was the brainchild of PrimeTime Amusements’ founder and president, who besides being a HEAT fan saw it as an opportunity to launch his Company’s newest division: PrimeTime Theming. The new division is an extension of PrimeTime Amusements’ near two-decades of experience in the arcade sales, rentals, operations and Family Entertainment Center (FEC) industry.

The PrimeTime Theming division is headed up by an art designer and team of sculptors with more than 40-years of combined experience. The new division will focus on building props and figures for arcade game rooms, entertainment facilities, hotels, and more. Future statues will be built using a combination of CNC 3-D Cutting machinery and hand sculpting. More information on the PrimeTime Theming division can be found at www.PrimeTimeAmusements.com/Theming.

“As a Florida native and owner of a South Florida-based business, I am a huge Miami HEAT fan,” said David Goldfarb, president of PrimeTime Amusements. “To be a part of a team that was able to create such awesome and impressive figures has been an honor. Our gesture not only celebrates the Big Three but showcases the talent of the PrimeTime Amusements’ team. I can only hope that the HEAT players enjoy the statues as much as we do!”

Video of the creation of the LeBron James statue is available at www.youtube.comPrimeTimeAmusements.

Pictures highlighting each step of the process in creating the Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh statues are available at www.Facebook.com/PrimeTimeAmusements.

Melissa Perlman
BlueIvyCommunications
On Behalf of PrimeTime Amusements
561-310-9921
[email protected]

PrimeTime Amusements

PrimeTime Amusements is a global operator and provider of video arcade machines and simulators. Founded in 1992, PrimeTime Amusements goes beyond just selling and renting equipment; the Company also offers thousands of entrepreneurs and facility owners turn-key arcade consulting, planning, installation and operations solutions. PrimeTime Amusements specializes in new and innovative machines, refurbished high-end equipment as well as classic and more traditional arcade games. Learn more at www.primetimeamusements.com. Follow PrimeTime Amusements on Twitter @PTAmusements.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com
http://www.cisionwire.com/blueivycommunications/r/south-florida-based-arcade-company-builds-miami-heat-s-really–big-three-,c9247069

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The Miami Heat secured their 14^th consecutive home victory on March 20, defeating the Phoenix Suns 99-95. With the win, the Heat keep pressure on the Eastern Conference leading Chicago Bulls, currently trailing by 2 ½ games.

The Heat came out blazing against the Suns, taking control in the very first quarter of the game. Unfortunately, a poor second half performance brought the Suns back into the game. After being down by as much as 10 points in the second half, the Heat fought back in the final quarter, aided by a 17-0 run.

“That many pick and rolls and we talked about making an absolute tireless effort,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game. “To start the game wasn’t our best, but to finish the game was more our style.”

Chris Bosh led Miami’s offense against the Suns, putting up 29 points and 8 rebounds.

“You just got to keep your head in the game,” Bosh told reporters. “That’s all it’s about. We want to play at a high level all the time, and sometimes it’s not going to be like that. Sometimes you just have to stay with it, and then when the time comes, just make your move.”

LeBron James came in second, finishing with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Dwyane Wade also played well against the Suns, walking away with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Once again, Miami’s role players — with the exception of Udonis Haslem, who put up 15 points and 9 rebounds — struggled, finishing with a combined 16 points and 9 rebounds.

The Heat will now head out for a three-game road trip which begins with the Detroit Pistons on March 23. The Heat started off their last road trip with a loss against the Orlando Magic on March 13, and they’ll try to do things differently this time around.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Joseph Goodman, “Chris Bosh leads Miami Heat in comeback win over Phoenix Suns”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Increase Win Streak to Nine Games

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Miami Heat’s Struggles Continue Against Bulls

Miami Heat Escape with Win Against 76ers

Wade Leads Heat to Victory Against Magic

By SportsDirect

The Miami Heat will look for their 13^th straight home win, when they face the Orlando Magic on March 18. The Heat currently trail the Chicago Bulls by three games in the Eastern Conference standings, and it’s about time they start making their push for the top spot in the East.

The Heat ran into some trouble in their last encounter against the Magic, losing 104-98. Their inability to contain Dwight Howard — who finished with 24 points and 25 rebounds — definitely played a role in the overtime loss.

During the first half of the 2011/12 NBA season, the Heat were clearly the most dominant team in the league. Unfortunately for Miami fans, things haven’t been as clear since the All-Star break, with the Heat going 5-4 in their outings since the break.

“We’re a no-excuse team, and we’re going to continue to keep playing,” Dwyane Wade told reporters about their struggles. “We’re one of the top teams in the league with one of the best records in the league, and we’re going to go back home, try to get our energy up and try to get back to playing Miami Heat basketball and finish the last 20 [games] the same way.”

LeBron James led the Heat in their previous game against the Philadelphia 76ers, finishing with 29 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds. LeBron’s performance was enough to carry the Heat through a rough second half against the 76ers, but they’ll need a lot more than that against the Magic.

“It’s never good to give up a 20-point lead,” LeBron told reporters about the game against the 76ers. “But when you have to close out a game, it’s good to see you can keep the lead and win.”

LeBron certainly has a point, as the Heat’s second half performance against the 76ers wasn’t very encouraging. A poor half like that against the Magic will pretty much guarantee a loss.

The Magic currently lead the season series between the two Eastern Conference powerhouses 2-1. The Heat will certainly have their hands full on Sunday, but they should be up to the task.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Stats LLC, “Magic-Heat Preview”

Joseph Goodman, “Miami Heat faces task of containing Dwight Howard again”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

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