NEW YORK (AP) — Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh returned to New York hours after his wife gave birth and is preparing to play in Game 3 of his team’s Eastern Conference first-round series against the Knicks on Thursday night.

Bosh left the team shortly after it arrived in New York on Wednesday night, taking a private plane back to Miami after getting word that his wife was in labor. His son — the couple’s first child — was born at 3 a.m. Thursday, said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.

Bosh’s plane touched down in the New York area around 4:30 p.m. Thursday and he was expected to arrive at Madison Square Garden long before the 7 p.m. tipoff.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.