New York Knicks defeat the Miami Heat 116-107: Chemistry building

The Knicks defeated the Miami Heat 116 to 107, and they didn’t find a rhythm until the third quarter. 

New York spent the first half trailing but close to the Heat. The Knicks struggled to contain Heat scorers, but Karl Anthony-Towns’ hot hand helped keep things close. 

Miami gave their biggest punch in the third quarter, pushing their lead to 13 against a shell-shocked Knicks. That’s when New York finally kicked into gear, with the offense beginning to click while Towns never cooled off.

The Knicks entered the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead and never looked back. They fed KAT, and everyone else fed off the attention he drew. 

The signs of chemistry are flashing. Let’s look at the players’ work.

Notable Performances

KAT dogs Bam

Karl-Anthony Towns: 44 PTS (17/24 FG, 4/5 3PT, 6/6 FT), 2 AST, 13 REB, 2 TO in 39 mins

Karl-Anthony Towns is the incomparable star of the night. He attacked Bam Adebayo in the post and took shots in space. The big man looked unstoppable, leaving Bam in foul trouble for most of the first half.

KAT also came up big on the glass, grabbing some important offensive boards for putbacks in the fourth quarter. 

On the downside, Towns’ rim protection is still a concern. The Heat hovered around 60% from the field early, feasting on shots close to the basket.

But Bodega KAT’s positives far outweigh his defensive issues in this one.

The rest of the starters find an offensive rhythm

Josh Hart:  14 PTS (4/7 FG, 2/5 3PT), 6 AST, 14 REB, 1 STL in 42 mins

Josh Hart is finding his spots to impact each game more and more. He was a menace on the boards, scored efficiently, and pushed the pace without the turnovers that nagged him in prior games.

We got an exciting look in the third quarter, with Hart spending some time bringing the ball upcourt while Jalen Brunson worked off the ball. 

Jalen Brunson: 22 PTS (6/18 FG, 3/7 3PT, 7/8 FT), 9 AST, 2 REB, 1 TO in 36 mins

The Heat focused a lot of energy on stopping Jalen Brunson early. Brunson shot poorly but started to find openings for teammates, including a pair of dimes to rolling big men.

Brunson got going from three in the third quarter, hitting clutch shots throughout the second half. He trusted his teammates more and eventually got cooking, but we’re still waiting for Brunson to find his top form.

Mikal Bridges: 17 PTS (6/16 FG, 4/11 3PT, 1/2 FT), 6 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO in 40 mins

Mikal Bridges looked increasingly effective as the game wore on. He played a fantastic all-around game, including disruptive defense and valuable playmaking.

Bridges’ defense through screens is a joy to watch. His length ruins passing windows that should be available, and he never gives up on plays.

Most importantly, Bridges hit four shots from deep. His three-pointers are coming around, which could propel the offense to another level.

OG Anunoby: 11 PTS (3/6 FG, 3/6 3PT, 2/2 FT), 3 REB, 2 STL, 3 TO in 37 mins

Like Bridges, OG Anunoby’s three-point shooter started to come around in this game. But he struggled with turnovers off the dribble. All his offense came outside the arc. 

The key to OG’s night was defense on Jimmy Butler. Anunoby contained Butler, holding the Heat star to 15 points and 4 turnovers.

One key contributor carries the bench

Deuce McBride:  10 PTS (3/8 FG, 2/5 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 25 mins

Deuce McBride continues to carry the bench, making helpful plays at both ends.

Deuce has provided nearly all of the bench scoring lately. Maybe Precious’ return will help, but the bench needs to find something more.

Other Notes

• My most significant point of concern from this game is inbounding. The Knicks made sloppy passes and turned the ball over on a few inbounds plays. That shouldn’t be happening.

• I’d prefer to see Hukporti in the backup center role because I find Jericho Sims’ rim protection lacking. 

• The Brunson off-ball experiment is exciting. Defenses are so keyed into him right now that the shift threw Miami off for a momentum-shifting series of plays in the third.

Closing Thoughts

They’re only just getting started, folks. This is still the warmup. The team defense still has a way to go before it moves cohesively, like your typical Thibodeau defense.

The offense is also finding its way, with ball movement leading to some beautiful sequences throughout the night.

Expect to see more plays like that as this season wears on. Consistency and cohesion always take time to develop, and New York is scratching at the surface of some serious potential.

The bench will get stronger, the defense will sync up, and the offense is already good even as the players learn each other’s habits. The potential for greatness is real!

Detroit should represent an easier opponent, but every game’s a trap game this early in the season. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!