The Book of Isiah

Touché, New York. After years of Allan Houston and company owning the Miami Heat’s balls in the playoffs, you went into the toilet when James Dolan sold MSG’s soul to free-spending, non-winning Isiah Thomas. And we laughed at you as we held up our NBA championship trophy. But then somehow, in a plot twist worthy of Charles Dickens, you shipped Zeke to our back yard, hoping, no doubt, that the mere proximity of his toxic aura would poison the well. And it worked.

Lamar Odom spurned us, Michael Beasley went off the deep end, and this season is shaping up to be a nail-biting disaster. How many wins will it take to keep Dwyane Wade? Is Mario Chalmers really the point guard of the future? Can Beasley play the three? Meanwhile, New York is quietly building cap space, shedding the Eddy Curry-ness of its past, and poising itself for a major 2010 pounce. See the drama begin to build this Wednesday when the Miami Heat takes on the New York Knicks at American Airlines Arena. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at just $10.
Wed., Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m., 2009