Marbury, Knicks Ice Shaq and the Heat

Stephon Marbury scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and Jamal Crawford stuck it to the Miami Heat again with 3-pointer in the closing seconds to lift the Knicks to a 99–93 victory last night.

Shaquille O'Neal scored 20 points as Miami fell to 1–2 without top scorer Dwyane Wade, out with a dislocated shoulder.

The Knicks, swept by the Heat in three games last season, won this season series from the defending NBA champions 3–1. Marbury took over in the final quarter when it appeared the Knicks might be headed to their first losing streak in a month.

Running the show by himself in the absence of fellow point guard Steve Francis, Marbury made four of six shots in the fourth — including two 3-pointers and four free throws midway through the frame that helped the Knicks erase a sixpoint deficit.

Eddy Curry, in his first matchup this season with Miami center Shaquille O'Neal, scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Crawford had 20, including a 3 from the corner with 21 seconds left that gave the Knicks a 97–93 lead.

Crawford was the star for the Knicks against Miami on January 26 when he poured in a careerhigh 52 points when Curry, New York's no. 1 scorer, was out of the lineup.

Jason Kapono led the Heat with 24 points, reaching double figures for the 14th time in 15 games.