New York Sports

MIAMI (AP) ― Dwyane Wade knows they all won't be this easy.

Wade began defense of his NBA scoring title with 26 points, Jermaine O'Neal finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and the Miami Heat opened with a 115-93 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

New starting power forward Michael Beasley scored 21 for Miami, which made 26 of 31 shots in a staggering 20-minute stretch spanning the second and third quarters, turning a close game into a blowout.

"Pick your poison," Beasley said. "When we all play like that, it makes the game a whole lot easier."

Here's one way to put that absurd Heat shooting spree into perspective: Miami missed fewer shots (five) in more than 1 1/2 quarters than New York's Al Harrington did (six) in the second quarter alone.

David Lee scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds for New York. Danilo Gallinari added 22 off the bench for the Knicks, who were 10 of 39 from 3-point range.

"We couldn't make shots and couldn't stop them," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. "That's not a good combo."

Miami shot 14 of 17 from the floor in the second quarter, following that up with a 14 of 21 showing in the third. Meanwhile, New York was the gang that couldn't shoot straight: The up-tempo Knicks were only 5 of 28 from 3-point range through three quarters, plus only managed eight fast-break points in the game's first 37 minutes.

Daequan Cook scored 15 for Miami, with Mario Chalmers adding 11 to the balanced Heat scoring column.

"When the ball is moving, everyone is getting their opportunities and it makes everyone play hard on the other end of the floor," Wade said. "That's what we want to do."

Wilson Chandler finished with 21 for New York, which got 15 from Harrington.

"We need to learn from this loss and keep our heads up," Gallinari said. "It's tough to play defense against them 1-on-1, especially O'Neal and D-Wade."

The Heat retired former point guard Tim Hardaway's No. 10 before the game, then gave him the best seat in the house, courtside and opposite Miami's bench.

Given all the Knicks-Heat tussles he was part of as a player, he had to enjoy this show.

"A special night for all of us involved," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Hours before the start of the 2009-10 season -- predictably -- Wade fielded questions about 2010-11, especially since both the Knicks and Heat are expected to be major players in the long-expected free agent bonanza next summer. Wade can opt out of his contract and become a free agent, joining that fray.

"Not thinking about it," Wade said wryly.

Forget 2010. It sure seems like Miami wants to win right now.

Three dunks in a 40-second span late in the half -- O'Neal on a rare breakaway for a center, Wade after Harrington missed a slam at the Knicks' end, and then O'Neal again on a nifty bounce pass into the heart of the lane by Chalmers -- gave Miami a 10-point lead.

And in the third quarter, the dam burst.

Miami put it away with a 32-8 run. O'Neal had 10 points and six rebounds in the period alone.

Timberwolves 95, Nets 93

At Minneapolis, the young Minnesota Timberwolves sure showed some spirit on opening night.

Jonny Flynn scored 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to help the Wolves erase a 19-point deficit and Damien Wilkins' putback at the buzzer lifted Minnesota to a 95-93 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.

Minnesota trailed by 16 points with less than 7 minutes to play. But the rookie Flynn scored 11 points the rest of the way and the Timberwolves closed the game on a 24-6 run to steal the victory.

Brook Lopez had 27 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks for the Nets. But he didn't score in the final period and Al Jefferson blocked a shot with 25 seconds to go that would have given New Jersey the lead.

Sabres 4, Devils 1

At Newark, the New Jersey Devils didn't show up for the first period and that's all the Buffalo Sabres needed to remain unbeaten on the road.

Clarke MacArthur and rookie Tim Kennedy scored in the opening 6 minutes and the Sabres completed a sweep of a three-game road trip and won for the fourth time overall away from home, beating the Devils 4-1 on Wednesday night.

"I thought we owned most of the first period and they did a nicer job in the second," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "In the third period, we traded opportunities and we took advantage of the good ones we got."

Paul Gaustad and Jason Pominville iced the game with goals in the final period and Ryan Miller was outstanding in making 31 saves as Buffalo won for the seventh time (7-1-1) in nine games.

Defenseman Andy Greene scored on a power play for New Jersey, which had a three-game winning streak snapped in losing for the fourth time in five home games.



 

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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