New York Knicks centre Jerome James (right) gets tangled with Miami Heat centre Shaquille O'Neal (32) as they jockey for position under the basket in the first quarter of their NBA basketball game in New York's Madison Square Garden on Monday night. The Knicks won 99-93. - Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters):

The New York Knicks outgunned the Heat in the closing seconds for a 99-93 win on Monday night that further tightened the ferocious battle for Eastern Conference playoff berths.

With the Knicks leading 94-93, Miami's Udonis Haslem tipped away a pass headed for an open Eddy Curry under the basket as the 24-second clock was running out.

The ball skittered into the corner where Jamal Crawford corralled it and hoisted up a three-pointer to give New York a 97-93 lead with 20.7 seconds left.

That set up a victory that moved the Knicks (26-32) within two games of Miami (27-29) and a game and a half from the last playoff spot.

"This might be one of the more interesting races ever," Miami coach Pat Riley told reporters.

"We had a great defensive possession but Jamal was in the right place at the right time and that was it."

Knicks coach Isiah Thomas admitted his team had enjoyed some fortune.

"Sometimes you have to be a little lucky and we were lucky out there," he said.

New York were also very good against the NBA champions.

The emerging Curry matched Miami mainstays Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning in the middle for three quarters before Stephon Marbury took over in the fourth.

Marbury's dazzling moves

Marbury, who tallied just seven points in the first three quarters, erupted for 18 points in the last, mixing up unerring jumpers with dazzling dashes to the hoop.

Thomas was proud of the way Marbury seized the initiative.

"He just pushed the button, like the great players can," said Thomas, who has been coaxing Marbury to utilise his scoring prowess to lead the team.

"I was really proud of how he played. I tell Stef, you only have to do it for a four or five-minute stretch," Thomas said about his guard. "To be able to read it and press that button, it was beautiful to watch."

Marbury scored 25 points and Curry had 28 points to go with 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.

O'Neal had 20 points but just three rebounds. Mourning, the NBA's best back-up center, added 12 points and six boards. Three-point sharpshooter Jason Kapono was 4-of-5 from the arc and scored 24 points.

The hard-fought battle featured a large discrepancy at the foul line, where the Knicks had 39 chances, converting 30 of them, compared with just eight free throws taken by Miami.

O'Neal, expected to pick up the slack since a shoulder injury sidelined guard Dwyane Wade, was not surprised.

"They are very, very aggressive taking it to the hole," said O'Neal.