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NEW YORK -- They dont look like the lowly losers of last month. The New York Knicks are playing as if its last season -- when they even had mighty Miamis number. Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points, Andrea Bargnani had 19, and the Knicks beat the Heat 102-92 on Thursday night for their season-high third straight victory. "You can tell its different than one month ago," Bargnani said. "Our faces are different, our body language is different." Raymond Felton had 13 points and 14 assists for the Knicks, who seized control with a 16-2 run spanning the third and fourth quarters and beat the Heat for the fourth time in five meetings over the last two seasons. New York was second to Miami in the Eastern Conference last season when it won the series 3-1, but there was little reason to suggest until recently the Knicks were ready to compete with the NBA champions this season. New York is 13-22 but has won four of five in 2014, with victories over San Antonio and Miami -- last seasons NBA finalists. "It wasnt going to last all season like that," Felton said. "We were just going through a slump, now I feel like were out of it." With Tyson Chandler out sick and J.R. Smith stuck on the bench as an apparent punishment, Amare Stoudemire had 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. LeBron James scored 32 points for the Heat, who played without injured starters Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier and didnt get much from Chris Bosh, who was held to six points on 3-of-10 shooting. "All I know about this game is they outplayed us and they earned that win," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Dwyane Wade scored 23 points but missed all six free throws after sitting out the morning shootaround as Miami had its three-game winning streak snapped. "I only missed six," Wade said. "I didnt miss 20. It wasnt that damn bad." Smith didnt play after the reigning Sixth Man of the Years latest trouble, a $50,000 fine when he attempted to untie an opponents sneaker for the second straight game, after hed been warned by the NBA not to do it again. Knicks coach Mike Woodson criticized Smiths behaviour during a radio interview Wednesday but said before the game he wouldnt discuss Smith any longer. But the benching did the speaking for him. Smith often stood far away from the huddle during timeouts, but his teammates sure didnt miss him on the court. Woodson again wouldnt comment after the game, but no Knicks player, not even Smith, seemed to know he wouldnt play. "I didnt know anything about it," Smith said. "I expected to do the same thing I always do. I did my same routine and it didnt happen." Though the roster is different and the results are way worse, Woodson said before the game he believed the things that worked so well against the Heat last season could still do so, and for this night he was right as New York shot 54 per cent from the field. "Were moving forward," Anthony said. "Were taking strides. Were getting better. Were learning from our mistakes weve made in the past and were going to continue to build on this and see what happens." The Knicks surged into the lead late in the third. Bargnani answered back quickly after James blew by him for a dunk, converting a three-point play to tie it and ignite a 9-0 spurt that helped New York lead 75-71 entering the final 12 minutes. New York ran off seven in a row to open the fourth, making it 82-71 on Stoudemires basket, and there was never really a run for the Heat, who couldnt get closer than five from there. "They played a great game," James said. "They made some timely shots." The Heat were opening a six-game trip, but the start of it couldnt be more convenient. They are just a few miles away Friday to visit Brooklyn in a game in which players from both teams will wear nicknames on their jerseys. But the best they can do is salvage a New York split, even after shooting 54 per cent in this one. Miami scored the final seven points of the first quarter to take a 27-21 lead. The Knicks scored 11 in a row early in the second, but Rashard Lewis made two 3-pointers from the corner in the final 1:11 to help the Heat grab a 48-43 halftime edge. Notes: James played in his 800th career game. ... The Heat return to New York on Feb. 1, the night before the Super Bowl just across the river in New Jersey. Jonathan Ogden Womens Jersey . - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball. Hayden Hurst Jersey . Costa Rica followed up its wins over Uruguay and Italy by holding England to a dour 0-0 draw on Tuesday, enough to finish first in Group D. http://www.cheapravensshoponline.com/You...ens-Jersey/.com) - Generally you want to be the guy who replaces the guy who replaced the legend. Ray Lewis Ravens Jersey . The closer wasnt available. The road trip, a disaster to that point. Hayden Hurst Youth Jersey .C. - Brent Sutter scored 1:32 into extra time as the Charlotte Checkers came from behind to defeat the visiting Abbotsford Heat 5-4 on Sunday in American Hockey League action. SUNRISE, Fla. -- As the game went on, Dan Girardis mistake became magnified. Luckily for Girardi and the New York Rangers, the defenceman redeemed himself in a big way. After a giveaway by Girardi in the second period resulted in a goal for the Florida Panthers, Girardi tied it late in regulation to send the game to overtime. Brad Richards then netted the lone goal in the shootout to give the Rangers a 2-1 victory on Tuesday night. "It felt pretty good," Girardi said. "Its kind of disappointing when one bad play can kind of ruin a game for the team and yourself, so Im glad I could put one in there and kind of redeem myself a little bit." In the shootout, Richards beat Tim Thomas with a wrist shot to the top left corner after Thomas stopped the first two New York attempts. "Thats a great move from a great player," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. Henrik Lundqvist made a save against Brad Boyes to seal the Rangers victory. "I corrected my thinking a little bit in the way I approached (the shootout)," Lundqvist said. "I slowed down a little bit and I had more control." Girardi scored with 2:10 left in regulation with a wrist shot from the left circle to beat Thomas after Derek Stepan found Girardi with a pass as he broke in from the blue line. The goal prevented Thomas from earning his first NHL shutout in nearly two years. "It was one of those nights where if I could see it I could save it," Thomas said. "I thought we were going to hang on until the end there, but thats hockey." Thomas maintained his composure and came up with four saves in overtime, including one from close range by Rangers defenceman Ryan McDonagh. Thomas made 30 saves through overtime, and Lundqvist stopped 21 shots in the third and final meeting between the teams this season. "It was a really hard-fought game by both teams," Vigneault said. "There wasnt a lot of room out there." Florida broke through in the second period on Boyes 10th goal of the season. Girardi retrieved a loose puck, and his pass attempt from behind the net was intercepted by Aleksander Barkov,, who quickly fed the puck to Boyes in front.ddddddddddddBoyes beat Lundqvist with a backhander between his pads. Lundqvist was able to keep it a 1-0 deficit despite a 4-minute penalty to Richards midway through the third period when he high-sticked Nick Bjugstad in the face. "I definitely feel like wed like our special teams to be better," Panthers coach Peter Horachek said. New York went 0 for 3 on the power play after scoring three power-play goals on three chances Sunday in a 4-3 win at Tampa Bay. The Rangers came in with at least one power-play goal in five of their last six games. "We had some grade-A scoring opportunities," Vigneault said. "The only thing we didnt do was put it past their goaltender, who obviously was on top of his game." Rangers defenceman Marc Staal made his return after missing 10 games because of a concussion sustained on Dec. 7 against New Jersey. He played nearly 24 minutes, the third-highest total on the team. "I felt pretty good," Staal said. "I think anytime youre out for that long you just want to feel the puck and make the plays you normally make. For the most part I felt I did that. It was a good start." It was the midway point of the season for both teams. The Rangers improved to 20-19-2. "Were one game above .500. We need to get better," Vigneault said. The Panthers dropped to 15-20-6. "We just need to keep this thing going, getting points and climb in the standings," Boyes said. "Weve got to get better. If we keep doing what were doing, the good things will happen." NOTES: New York won the first two meetings, outscoring the Panthers 9-5. ... The Rangers are 3-1 in shootouts, Florida is 4-5. ... Barkov has a four-game point streak (1-3-4) and nine points in 10 games. ... Thomas played in his 400th NHL game. His last shutout was on March 19, 2012, against Toronto when he was with Boston. ... Florida tied the franchise-record with 17 points in December, which has been done four other times. ... New York will continue its road trip at Pittsburgh on Friday. Florida will host Nashville on Saturday. ' ' '