MIAMI, April 14 (Ticker) -- With Latrell Sprewell serving a suspension for breaking team rules, Kurt Thomas scored 20 points to lead five players in double figures as the New York Knicks recorded an easy 94-67 victory over the Miami Heat.

The win follows a 15-point loss at Boston on Friday, during which Sprewell scolded his teammates for not competing. But prior to Sunday's game, Sprewell was suspended by the team and could be docked a game's pay for missing a shootaround Sunday morning and showing up 40 minutes late for the game.

"He's been suspended for one game," Knicks coach Don Chaney said. "It is an internal matter and what happens from this point on will be from inside the organization. I'm not saying anything else about it."

NBA TV highlights from Knicks-Heat: 56k | 300k Allan Houston drives the lane while dropping in 19 points. Victor Baldizon NBAE/Getty Images

A team co-captain, Sprewell stayed at an undisclosed location Saturday night. When asked why he missed the shootaround, he said he overslept.

"You're talking about a lot of money for basically a missed practice," Sprewell said. "Well, not even a practice. I think the team handbook is pretty clear on what fines and suspensions are if you miss a practice."

If he is docked any pay, Sprewell said he will appeal through the NBA Players Association, which stood by him during his suspension and arbitration hearing for choking coach P.J. Carlesimo in 1997.

"I just need to see what everything is first and make sure I'm just not giving away money," Sprewell said. "A hundred ninety (thousand dollars), that's ridiculous for a missed practice." "What the guys did today was very important," Sprewell said of his teammtes performance. "They went out and played hard. The goal is to win as a team and we did an excellent job today."

Shandon Anderson started in place of Sprewell and scored 11 points in 28 minutes.

Heat coach Pat Riley was ejected with 8:19 left in the third quarter after receiving two technical fouls for arguing a foul call against center Alonzo Mourning. Mourning, who led Miami with 15 points, also received a technical.

"I think (the game) speaks for itself," Riley said. "Anybody have any questions? I don't have any answers. When the game had a chance to be a game in the third quarter, our guys who start simply didn't take control of the game. We turned the ball over. It was a horrible, horrible exhibition."

Long-time playoff rivals, both teams have fallen on hard times and are headed to the draft lottery. The Knicks, mired in their first 50-loss season since 1986-87, snapped a four-game losing streak. The Heat, who have handed Riley his first losing season in 20 years as a coach, have dropped nine of 14.

"We had two teams playing for nothing but the Knicks were playing for more than nothing," Riley said. "They showed that."

"I was very pleased with the way they competed out there," Chaney said. "I'm going to make sure they do understand me because we're going to make a tape. It's going to be a highlight tape of this game."

Trailing by two 75 seconds into the third quarter, the Heat gave up 14 of the game's next 23 points, giving the Knicks a 61-54 lead. Former Heat Clarence Weatherspoon scored six of his 12 points during the spurt.

"Going into the game, we knew we were going to be without one of our leading scorers," Thomas said. "So we knew we were going to need a collective effort from all of the guys on the team to pick up the scoring.

"We didn't feel (Sprewell's) suspension should have taken place," Thomas added. "Everyone oversleeps from time to time, everyone misses shootarounds. That's basically what happens. And they decided to make an example and it really wasn't called for."

New York pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Miami, 21-8, over the final 12 minutes.

The Heat committed 24 turnovers compared to just nine for the Knicks.