The New York Knicks would host the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden in a contest between two bitter rivals who squared off in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. While the Heat won that series, the Knicks blew them out in this matchup as after going back-and-forth in the first three quarters, New York went scorched earth in the fourth and to finish the job. In a blowout win, Jalen Brunson would once again score 30+ points and give the Heat defense plenty of fits, but the Knicks did see Julius Randle sustain a painful upper-body injury.
In a win that improved the Knicks to 29-17 on the season, they’d overwhelm the Heat in a 125-109 win, bringing their win streak to six games in a row.
Jalen Brunson Once Again Impresses in Knicks Big Win
The Knicks wanted to make another statement coming off of their blowout win against the Denver Nuggets, and they did exactly that, guided by the incredible efforts of Jalen Brunson. Despite somehow not earning a starting spot for the Eastern Conference in this year’s All-Star Game, Brunson would score 32 points on 54.5% shooting, as he was masterful in this afternoon’s contest, once again showing why he’s one of the best players in the league. He’s blossomed in New York, and it’s undeniable at this point that he can be the best player on the court against any opponent.
He’d add eight assists on the night, headling a ferocious three-point attack by the Knicks that helped guide them to victory. Miami jumped out to a three-point lead in the first quarter before New York trampled them in the second, and midway through the third quarter, this game looked like it would get ugly for Miami, as they were down 13 points. Jimmy Butler collected 28 points on the night, and he was the catalyst of a rally that would even the score with just a few seconds remaining before the end of the third.
Julius Randle, who collected 19 points with nine rebounds, drilled a three to recapture the lead for the Knicks, and in the fourth quarter, they’d drop 36 points to hand the Heat their sixth-consecutive loss. There’s one sour note for the team here though, as Randle would take a hard fall in the fourth quarter and seriously injure his shoulder, with no current updates on a potential timeline for his return.
As for some of the other notable contributors in the contest, Donte DiVincenzo started cold but drained three of his six attempts from beyond the arc, and OG Anunoby once again flashed brilliant defense with 19 points. He’s been a revelation with the Knicks, as they’re now 12-2 since acquiring him, the best record in the NBA in that timespan. Josh Hart was another key role player for New York as he added 14 points and had a team-best +30 on the court tonight adding nine rebounds and five assists.
Quentin Grimes would also hit some huge threes, adding 12 points on the night, and while Precious Achiuwa struggled with efficiency, he led he team in rebounds (10) and took the majority of minutes as they nurse Isaiah Hartenstein’s ankle injury. The Knicks will look to make it seven-in-a-row against the Hornets on the road, although it looks as if they’ll have to do so short-handed based on the initial look of how bad the injury to Julius Randle was.