The New York Knicks had enough trouble against the Miami Heat without facing Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade. The Knicks will have to contend with both Miami All-Stars as they host the Heat on Friday.

Miami (19-23) easily defeated New York 101-83 on Monday after jumping out to a quick start. Even with Wade sidelined because of an ankle injury and O'Neal still on the bench because of knee surgery, the Heat scored 27 consecutive points in the first quarter en route to a 29-3 lead before nine minutes had elapsed.

"We don't have the luxury to take anybody lightly," Knicks forward Quentin Richardson said after being asked if his team took the Heat too lightly without Wade and O'Neal. "We're not that good."

The Knicks will face both superstars on Friday, just the sixth time the duo has played together this season after leading the Heat to the 2006 NBA title. Wade scored 32 points in the team's 96-94 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday while O'Neal had five points and five rebounds in 14 minutes as a reserve in his first action since Nov. 12.

"It's good to be out there with the guys, but obviously there's a lot of rust," said O'Neal, who has averaged 27.1 points in 35 games against the Knicks, but scored just 33 in two games against them last season. "The rust will wear off and I'll get my rhythm back."

Wade, meanwhile, was just happy to get his teammate make.

"We're a much more powerful team with him," said Wade, who has averaged 30.6 points and 8.2 assists the last nine games he's played.

But the pair weren't enough to help Miami win Wednesday as the Heat squandered a 20-point third-quarter lead, and Jason Kapono's potential game-winning 3-pointer rattled out as time expired.

"It felt good all the way, it just didn't stay in," said Kapono. "I thought it was down."

While the Heat are just 9-13 on the road, they have won five straight at Madison Square Garden and eight of their last nine overall against the Knicks.

New York (18-26) has lost two straight and four of five following Wednesday's 112-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Jamal Crawford had 29 points and 11 assists, while Eddy Curry added 25 points, but only four in the final 33-plus minutes. He also left with a strained left calf during the fourth quarter.

The Knicks played without starting point guard Stephon Marbury, who is suffering from left knee tendinitis and is questionable for this game.

"It'll be tough, but we'll manage," Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. "We'll find a way to make it work. We got some pieces missing, but we'll find a way to somehow scratch out a win here and there."

Curry is averaging a career-high 19.4 points and 7.1 rebounds. He has scored at least 25 points in the team's last three games and had 26 in Monday's loss.

The Knicks have lost three of their last four at home since a five-game winning streak at Madison Square Garden from Dec. 18-Jan. 10.