MIAMI – LeBron James had 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade both scored 19 points as Miami beat New York 106-94 on Wednesday to win the Eastern Conference first-round series in five games.
Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) and guard Dwyane Wade (3) celebrate against the New York Knicks in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, Wednesday, May 9, 2012, in Miami. The Heat won 106-94 to win the series 4-1 and advance to the second round. AP PHOTO
The Heat will meet Indiana in the East semifinals starting Sunday in Miami.
Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points for the Knicks, including a jumper at the end of the third quarter that pulled New York within 81-67.
Amare Stoudemire scored 14 points, Landry Fields and J.R. Smith both added 12 and Tyson Chandler grabbed 11 rebounds for New York.
Stoudemire fouled out with 4:48 left, and the Knicks cut the lead to 11 points four times in a 2-minute span. Miami answered every time, the last of those a 3-pointer by Shane Battier with 54 seconds left.
The last time New York advanced in the postseason came at Miami’s expense in the East semifinals in 2000.