"When we tied it in the fourth quarter, I thought we were going to win," he said.

Instead, in the biggest game of the season, the New York Knicks' defense unraveled down the stretch, and they lost to the Miami Heat 87-81 Wednesday night.

The Heat took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference semifinals, with Game 6 Friday night at Madison Square Garden. If New York wins, the series returns to Miami for Game 7 on Sunday.

"We have to get the job done Friday," said Ewing, still seeking his first NBA title at age 37. "Otherwise it's summertime."

In fact, the Knicks must do what they haven't done in the playoffs since 1998 -- win two in a row against Miami. In 10 playoff games over the past two years, neither team has managed back-to-back victories.

More data supporting New York pessimism: There have been 100 previous best-of-7 series that were tied 2-all, and the team that won Game 5 went on to win the series 84 times.

"That's an interesting statistic," Knicks guard Latrell Sprewell said. "This team has played well in adverse situations, and we're in one now. We'll see what we're made of."

If the Knicks can force a Game 7, they might have a psychological edge. They won winner-take-all fifth games in Miami in 1998 and 1999.

"You never know what can happen in a Game 7," Sprewell said.

The Knicks blamed Wednesday's loss on defense, usually the most reliable part of their game. The game was tied at 68-all before the Heat scored 19 points over the final 5:41.

"Our defense, when we needed it the most, betrayed us," coach Jeff Van Gundy said.

A trio of Miami 3-pointers doomed New York. When Allan Houston collapsed on Alonzo Mourning, Dan Majerle hit an open 25-footer for a 77-70 lead with 2:30 left. Majerle made a 27-footer over Charlie Ward to make it 80-73. Bruce Bowen then hit an open 24-footer from the corner -- his only field goal of the game -- for an 83-77 lead with 35 seconds left.

"Those 3s killed us," Ewing said. "Bowen's 3 was a dagger."

Ewing outplayed Mourning for the first time in the series, totaling 16 points and 11 rebounds in 33 minutes. Mourning, who fouled out, missed 12 of 17 shots and settled for 18 points and five rebounds in 39 minutes.

Larry Johnson and the Knicks fall apart defensively in the fourth quarter.(AP)

But the Heat outrebounded the Knicks for the fifth time in as many games, 42-32.

"Obviously rebounding is not important to us right now," Van Gundy said.

Trailing by six points at halftime, the Knicks made their first five shots in the third quarter. Trailing by nine late in the quarter, Larry Johnson made three baskets to spark a 11-2 run that tied the score 66-all. Miami missed 11 consecutive shots during the spurt.

But in the fourth quarter, Houston took just one shot, Sprewell went 1-for-6, and the Knicks gave the Heat too many open looks.

"We lost our will," Van Gundy said. "We certainly didn't have enough will to make the stops we needed."