The Heat faced a big challenge without Butler (left). (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images With Butler unavailable for Game 2, Miami shared the ball around a lot more on Wednesday and found plenty of success early in the opening quarter, particularly from deep.
The Heat attempted 15 three-pointers in the first quarter, making six as the Knicks took a 31-29 lead after a strong opening from RJ Barrett.
Barrett had 16 points in the quarter for the Knicks while Julius Randle (10 points) was also heating up early in his first game back from a left ankle sprain.
That fast start from Barrett and Randle was particularly important as the rest of the Knicks (4-for-18 FG at halftime) struggled to get going, headlined by Brunson (seven points, 1-for-6).
Brunson struggled early but quickly found his rhythm in the third quarter. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images Poor free throw shooting also saw the Knicks throw away a few easy points but the same couldn’t be said for the Heat, who were getting plenty of contributions across the board.
Nine different Miami players had scored by halftime, with Martin (12 points) leading the way as the Heat took a 54-51 buffer into the third quarter.
Crucially, Miami had 15 assists on 18 field goals, speaking to how well the Heat were moving the ball around and finding different ways to score without their main man in Butler.
That continued early into the third quarter too as Max Strus and Bam Adebayo assisted or scored all of Miami’s first 13 points to open the period.
It wasn’t just three-pointers for Strus either, with the Miami guard driving towards the basket to score off an Adebayo pass before pulling up to drain it from deep moments later.
The Knicks needed something to wrestle back momentum and found it in a timely burst from Brunson, who rediscovered his rhythm and much-needed confidence after a shaky start to the game.
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Brunson had 13 points, one steal and two rebounds in the third quarter, making a jump shot with just under three minutes left to give the Knicks their first lead of the period (74-73).
It didn’t last long though as the Knicks missed their final three shots of the quarter, with a ferocious Adebayo dunk and Vincent jumper giving Miami a 77-76 advantage.
Like Strus and Adebayo in the third, it was Vincent and Martin lifting the Heat early in the fourth as the pair combined to score Miami’s first 19 points of the final quarter.
The Knicks, meanwhile, were really starting to get contributions across the board although Brunson picked up where he left off the third quarter with five early points.
Brunson later drained another three-pointer with four minutes on the clock to cap off a 12-3 run and give the Knicks a 99-96 lead, prompting the Heat to call a timeout.
The game was well and truly in the balance until that critical missed call on the shot clock violation swung momentum in the Knicks’ favour.
New York did its best to somehow blow a 108-100 lead with 24 seconds on the clock though, with Randle turning the ball over after a Vincent layup to immediately give possession back to Miami.
Duncan Robinson stepped up to drain a three-pointer, cutting the Knicks’ lead down to 108-105 with 22 seconds left but the Heat fell short of another unlikely comeback.
