LeBron James says the Knicks kicked the Heat’s ass last night when they won 112-92 in Miami despite missing Carmelo Anthony, who was on the bench with a cut in his left hand that required five stitches.
“We already thought they were going to be a better team just with the acquisitions that they made,” James told reporters in Miami.
“Just another year under their belt. So we haven’t went into the first two games doubting them or underestimating their ability.
“They pretty much just kicked our ass in two games.” 
The Knicks (14-4) — who made 18 3-pointers and have won five straight — are now 2-0 against the defending NBA champion Heat this year and have won the two games by a combined 40 points.
New York also improved to a 1 1/2 game lead over Miami (12-5) for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Obviously, if they can win the Atlantic Division and end up as the No. 1 or 2 seed in the East, that will dramatically help their chances of a postseason run because they likely wouldn’t have to meet the Heat until the conference finals.
Last spring, they faced Miami in the first round and lost in five games.
More immediately, New York is now 2-0 on this road trip heading into Saturday’s game at Chicago, where Anthony could end up sitting again.
“I told him last night sit out because it’s not worth it,” Tyson Chandler said, according to the New York Times. “That laceration could easily bust back open and we can lose him for even longer. I don’t think he should come back until we get back to New York.”
The Knicks return home on Sunday for a night game against the Denver Nuggets.
They then have an important stretch of games coming up, including at Brooklyn Tuesday in a rematch of their Nov. 26 loss there.
They need a healthy Anthony for a stretch of six straight home games this month that includes matchups with Mike D’Antoni’s Lakers (Dec. 13), Jeremy Lin’s Rockets (Dec. 17) and Brooklyn (Dec. 19).
They are also expected to get Amar’e Stoudemire — remember him? — back around Christmas.
For now, they have the best record in the East and LeBron’s attention.
