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Hoops

NBA wrap: Heat knock out Knicks, Grizzlies survive Clippers surge

The Heat accounted for the Knicks 106-94 at home to wrap up their best-of-seven series in five games and set up an Eastern Conference semi-final date against the Indiana Pacers.

New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony (7) defends Miami Heat’s LeBron James (6) during the second half at Madison Square Garden last night. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

THE MIAMI HEAT sent the New York Knicks packing from the NBA playoffs while the Memphis Grizzlies avoided elimination last night.

The Heat accounted for the Knicks 106-94 at home to wrap up their best-of-seven series in five games and set up an Eastern Conference semi-final date against the Indiana Pacers.

LeBron James had 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade chipped in with 19 points each. Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points and Amar’e Stoudemire added 14 for New York.

Miami host the Pacers in the opening game of their semi-final series at American Airlines Arena on Sunday. In Memphis, the Grizzlies withstood a late Los Angeles Clippers rally to send their Western Conference first-round series to a sixth game, with LA leading 3-2.

Marc Gasol scored 23 points and Zach Randolph added 19 as Memphis overcame the Clippers 92-80 at the FedExForum.

The Grizzlies, who blew a 27-point advantage in game one of the series, led by 24 points with three minutes to go in the third quarter but had that margin trimmed to six with less than a minute remaining in the fourth. However it was as close as the Clippers, without injured duo Chris Paul (groin) and Blake Griffin (knee) for much of the final term, could get.

Memphis travel to Los Angeles for game six tomorrow. If the Grizzlies win, the deciding game will be in Memphis on Sunday.

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