Knicks 83 Heat 82

MIAMI – You could believe the Heat are not cursed against the Knicks if you wish. You’re probably wrong.

The Knicks advanced yesterday to the Eastern Conference finals with a freaky 83-82 victory over the haunted Heat in a Game 7 that fittingly came down to a last possession, controversy and Miami complaining about conspiracy theories regarding New York.

Instead of an Allan Houston bouncer sending Miami home for the summer, like last May, this time a phantom timeout – credited to Latrell Sprewell – played a role in the outcome with 2.1 seconds remaining.

The Knicks’ rallying from 18 points down in Game 6 was nothing compared to yesterday’s weirdness in which neither team scored in the last 1:20 after Patrick Ewing’s flying dunk gave the Knicks a one-point lead that stood as the game winner.

It was another crazed chapter to the four-year Knick-Heat war. And another layer of pain for Miami coach Pat Riley, who is perhaps still being punished by the basketball gods for abandoning the Knicks in 1995.

That might be the best explanation as to how the Knicks rallied from six points down in the final five minutes to pull out Game 7 at AmericanAirlines Arena on a day hobbled Allan Houston was held to five points – none in the second half – and Chris Childs made like Michael Jordan in the fourth quarter, scoring the Knicks’ first 10 points.

“They deserved it as much as we did, to be honest,” said Sprewell, who scored 20 first-half points and finished with 24. Spree also chased down the game-sealing rebound deep by the left baseline following a Clarence Weatherspoon miss after which the officials thought he had called timeout but were mistaken.

The Knicks have now ended the Heat’s season three straight years in Miami.

“The Lord is just giving us favor right now,” a sore-ankled Houston said. “It’s gone down to the last game every time and we’ve been able to advance. Everybody on this team contributed somehow. You don’t know where it’s going to come from. But, hey, that’s the beauty of a team like this. That’s why we’re moving on.”

“Reggie [Miller] wanted us, so here we come,” said Childs, who “guaranteed” Friday’s Game 6 win and propelled the Knicks to yesterday’s Game 7 triumph with 15 points out of nowhere.

Riley, his voice cracking during a post-game press conference, managed to salute his former pupil, saying “I would like to see Jeff Van Gundy take this thing and win a championship.”

The rest of the Heat had no such good wishes, with Alonzo Mourning saying, “The last two games we got screwed by two calls,” and Tim Hardaway calling for the league to talk to the officials and “stop cheating for those guys.”

With seven seconds remaining, Camby, after slipping, flew at Weatherspoon, who launched a potential game-winning 13-foot attempt from the right of the foul line. The Heat wanted to get the ball to Mourning but on the entry pass he was doubled immediately by Ewing and Larry Johnson.

After Weatherspoon’s clanker, Sprewell chased down the rebound by the left baseline and was immediately swarmed by Dan Majerle, who was tugging at his shorts, and Jamal Mashburn. As Spree was falling out of bounds with 2.2 seconds remaining, the whistle blew.

Referee Bennett Salvatore initially ruled it Heat ball, saying Sprewell was out of bounds. But after a quick conference, it was overruled by Dick Bavetta as the officials claimed Spree yelled for a timeout.

Afterward, Sprewell said he did not call time but heard Camby call it. Both Camby and Childs claimed they called timeout.

“Everyone was calling for a timeout,” Camby said. “The guys on the floor to the guys on the bench.”

Childs said he signaled for time but no official saw him.

Said Spree: “I thought they called a foul, but the ref was looking at me like I was out of bounds. There was no way I was out of bounds. I got pushed. Marcus called timeout but I didn’t.”

“Nobody called timeout,” Hardaway said. “I see why they call Dick Bavetta ‘Knick Bavetta.'”

Of course, Bavetta had nothing to do with the Heat missing eight of their last nine shots and choking from the foul line yet again, going 2-of-7 in the fourth.

And Bavetta did not force Mourning to take an ill-advised gamble in trying to steal Larry Johnson’s entry bounce pass to Ewing on the game-winner. Ewing got free and soared in for the dunk and a one-point Knick lead with 1:20 left.

“Certainly that it came down to the last possession was fitting,” Van Gundy said. “I feel very proud of our accomplishment. I can’t tell you how proud I am of our guys to come down here three years and do this.”

Childs, sensing a sore-ankled Houston could barely do a thing on offense, asserted himself with penetrations and was the only Knick to score for the fourth quarter’s first eight minutes. He was three-of-five from the field and made four of five free throws.

It was fitting Childs was the last Knick to touch the ball. After the alleged timeout, Charlie Ward inbounded at halfcourt to Childs, who dribbled once and immediately flung the ball to the ceiling as the last tick expired. As the buzzer sounded, Childs began to strut, and he and his teammates can, all the way to Indianapolis.