Koraan » Overbay said he got the lower half of his body on track with his

NEW YORK - While the records may not indicate it, Thursday nights battle between the Miami Heat and New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden should be a marquee matchup. The Heat are back near their usual perch atop the basketball world, but the Knicks struggles this season have been well documented. You can watch all the action as part of an NBA on TSN doubleheader beginning at 8pm et/5pm pt. The latest problem for the Knicks involves J.R. Smith and it might have been one of his worst transgressions. The NBA fined Smith $50,000 on Wednesday for "instances of unsportsmanlike conduct," stemming from two incidents where Smith tried untying an opponents shoelaces. After the first, Smith was warned by the league, but he did it again, and is $50,000 poorer. His coach is no longer amused. "Im not happy about this because he was warned, he comes back, and he makes the same mistake, and its not right," head coach Mike Woodson told ESPN New York 98.7 FM. "Its just got to stop. I keep saying this every time something pops up, but its got to stop." On the court, Smith hasnt been anywhere near as good as last season when he won the Sixth Man of the Year award. He is averaging 11.3 ppg and shooting 34.8 percent from the field. Despite Smiths antics, the Knicks have been playing well of late. Theyve won two in a row and three of four, but are just 1-4 in their last five at MSG. For the season, the Knicks are a disappointing 5-12 at home. On Tuesday, New York took care of its business at home with an 89-85 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Carmelo Anthony poured in a game-high 34 points and Andrea Bargnani registered a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Raymond Felton scored 12 points for New York. Tyson Chandler missed the game with an upper respiratory infection and is listed as questionable. The Knicks are 14 1/2 games behind the Heat in the Eastern Conference. Last season, these teams finished Nos. 1 and 2, and the Knicks beat the Heat three times in the regular season, including both trips to Miami. The Heat have been very strong of late, winning three straight, five of six and 11 of 13. Theyve won three consecutive road games and that will help as they embark on a six-game odyssey with visits to New York, Brooklyn, Washington, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Atlanta. "It felt like we just got home," said LeBron James, referring to the teams recent four-game trip out west. "We have to refocus on what the road is all about. "The Knicks are playing much better than they were. Its the Mecca of basketball. Its always great to be there." On Tuesday, the Heat overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half, thanks to James, and bested the New Orleans Pelicans, 107-88, in South Beach. James scored 19 in the third quarter alone and finished with 32 points. "I was able to get into a good rhythm and just try to keep it going and regain some momentum," James said of his third-quarter performance. Dwyane Wade added 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Miami, which outscored the Pelicans 64-39 in the final 24 minutes after trailing by six at halftime. Chris Andersen added 15 points off the bench on 7-of-7 shooting. The Heat were without starters Mario Chalmers (Achilles) and Shane Battier (quad). Both players are considered day-to-day. While the Knicks won three of four last season, the Heat are 11-5 in the last 16 meetings between the teams. Miami has won five of its last seven in Madison Square Garden. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER AT DENVER NUGGETS DENVER - After an eight-game losing streak, the Denver Nuggets have won three straight, but will face a stiff challenge Thursday night when the Oklahoma City Thunder head to the Pepsi Center. Catch the action as the second part of an NBA on TSN doubleheader at 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt. The Nuggets havent looked back after the disastrous run over the holidays. They snapped the slide at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, throttled the Los Angeles Lakers in Hollywood on Sunday, then squashed the Boston Celtics by 31 at home on Tuesday. Randy Foye had 23 points, Ty Lawson scored 19 with 13 assists and the Nuggets led wire-to-wire in a 129-98 rout of the Celtics. Kenneth Faried added 21 points and 13 rebounds and J.J. Hickson scored 17 for the Nuggets. Denver coach Brian Shaw received two technical fouls and was ejected with 2:43 left in the third for arguing with officials during a timeout while his team was up by 28. "We punish criers. We dont cry," he said. "Fortunately for us, it wasnt a situation where it cost us." Denvers starting backcourt has been on a tear of late. Foye is 11-for-20 from 3-point range during the winning streak and Lawson has recorded four consecutive double-doubles. Wilson Chandler (strained left groin) and Nate Robinson (sprained right ankle) sat out practice on Wednesday and are listed as game-time decisions. The Thunder had a two-game winning streak and eight-game road winning streak snapped on Tuesday with a 112-101 setback in Salt Lake City to the Utah Jazz. OKC has now dropped three of its last five. Kevin Durant tied an NBA season-high with 48 points to add to his seven boards, five assists and four steals, and Reggie Jackson added another 20 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals for the Thunder in their fifth road loss of the season. They were the only two Thunder players in double figures. "We fought but we cant play for just one quarter," Durant said. "We didnt have toughness tonight. Too many mental mistakes from everybody and they capitalized on it. You give a team confidence, theyre going to have it the whole game." The Thunders eight straight road victories entering the game was the longest for the franchise since Jan. 24-Feb. 27, 2002. Serge Ibaka didnt play against the Jazz due to flu-like symptoms and hes listed as day-to-day. The Thunder won the first two of this seasons matchups -- one in Denver and one in Oklahoma City. Those wins snapped a three-game series losing streak for the Thunder, who have lost nine of their last 12 in the Mile High City. Cheap Vapormax Ireland . Now he has a complete game. Scherzer tossed a three-hitter in his 179th career start for his first complete game and Victor Martinez hit his 16th homer to lead the Detroit Tigers a 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. Vapormax Online Ireland .com) - Patrick Reed poured in a 19-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole Monday to defeat Jimmy Walker and win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. http://www.wholesalevapormaxireland.com/ . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. Wholesale Vapormax Ireland . -- Lara Gut of Switzerland regained the overall World Cup lead with Sundays super-G win in Lake Louise, Alta. Cheap Vapormax . "Im not even that added up," the 39-year-old Australian replied. And to the Hall of Famers surprise, when all the math was done Sunday in the JTBC Founders Cup, she was the one posing for pictures with the big trophy.PHOENIX -- Theyre former Yankees, clubhouse neighbours and, potentially, new platoon partners with the Milwaukee Brewers. That gaping hole at first base might be filled in 2014 by lefty Lyle Overbay and righty Mark Reynolds. Each player signed a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, meaning theyll have to prove themselves -- again -- to stick around. "Its really an uncomfortable feeling," said manager Ron Roenicke, drawing on his own experiences in the majors. "I like that theres competition but I tell you what its a nervous time. I dont have fond memories of spring training." This spring, its Overbay and Reynolds who will be trying to impress Roenicke. Reynolds, 30, has a feast-or-famine reputation with 202 homers in his seven seasons in the majors with a career .233 average. He has struck out at least 154 times in each season since 2008, including 223 strikeouts in 2009. But Roenicke sees some hope in the stats. Last year between the Indians and Yankees, Reynolds had 154 strikeouts with 51 walks, about a 3-to-1 ratio. "He sees pitches. He waits for the pitch he wants to hit," Roenicke said. "Hes not up there hacking at everything, and I think thats the difference." Its a little tough on Reynolds having to win a job going into his eight season in the majors. He is back in the National League though, where he came up with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007. "Honestly, I was just looking for the best place to get at bats. Come in and have a good spring and kind of prove myself all over again," Reynolds said. Reynolds isnt usually that far from Overbay. Theyve got lockers right next to each other in the clubhouse. On Wednesday, there they were sitting next to each other taking a brief break during a sunny afternoon in the dugout during batting practice. And there waas Overbay yelling out to Reynolds across the usual morning clubhouse din to pass on a reminder that it was time for a meeting.dddddddddddd Overbay, 37, is back in Milwaukee for the first time since the 2005 season. It was after that season that Overbay was traded to Toronto in a deal that opened up first base for Prince Fielder. Since then, there have been stops in Pittsburgh and Arizona before spending 2013 with the Yankees. Overbay hit .240, though he did have a renaissance of sorts with 14 homers and 59 RBIs, both highs for him since 2010. It was with the Yankees, with the aid of hitting coach Kevin Long, that Overbay said he got the lower half of his body on track with his swing for the first two-thirds of the season. Overbay said he got untracked again the last two months, so he wanted to focus this off-season on regaining what he lost. "Sometimes when results arent happening, you resort back to your other path," Overbay said Wednesday. "So those are the kinds of things I wanted to get in muscle memory, so that when I came here and I could it through this whole year." He might potentially be the best defensive first baseman on the Brewers roster. Overbay is also a solid clubhouse presence who appears comfortable with what he needs to do in the latter part of his career. No guarantees yet with the Brewers. Besides Reynolds, returning veteran Juan Francisco, along with younger or less heralded players like Hunter Morris and Sean Halton are also in the mix at first. But without taking a swing in a game, Overbay has made an impression Roenicke. "I like what he has to say out there. I like what some of the younger guys have already come to me and said about him, that doesnt happen that often," Roenicke said. "So hes a guy that were really happy to have in camp." ' ' '