Poor shooting burns Knicks in loss to Heat
Knicks guard Josh Hart gets fouled by Miami Heat guard Norman Powell as Heat center Kel'el Ware looks on during the first half of an NBA game Sunday in Miami. Credit: AP/Rebecca Blackwell
MIAMI — Both the Knicks and Heat entered their first meeting of the season bragging about their desire to push the pace. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and Knicks coach Mike Brown waved their arms at every opportunity, exhorting their teams to run.
But we all know the history of this rivalry, one mired in mud. Defense and aggressiveness are the trademarks. So despite the Heat entering the night as the NBA leader in pace and the Knicks at least preaching a wish to execute that style, it was always going to be what it was: a dogfight.
There were flagrant fouls, the obligatory Bam Adebayo elbow to the nose of Jalen Brunson and all of the usual accoutrements of the rivalry. And in the end, the Knicks were unable to overcome their shooting woes as they fell, 115-107, for their first loss in three games this season.
For all of the talk about the Knicks’ offensive system and a new emphasis on pace and pushing, Brown has insisted that it is the defense that will carry them through the early learning curve. But when the offense struggled to find the range Sunday night, the defense let them down.
“We’re really big on the possession game,” Brown said. “This is the first time we lost it maybe all year. We lost the possession game to the Heat. Obviously, they’re a good team and we’re playing on their home floor. To lose the possession game can cost you, and it cost us tonight . . . We know we’re better than that and we will correct that.
“On top of the 45 transition points, we gave up 31 free throws. We talked about both of those things at halftime and then we gave up 15 free throws just in the third quarter alone . . . That’s where the game was won or lost.
“Could we have played better offensively? Yes. But it’s going to be hard to win versus a good team on their home floor if you give up that many fast-break points or transition baskets and we send them to the line 31 times.”
Said Brunson, “We were definitely a step slow in transition defense. Just not being disciplined on their drives, fouling. Not a good night for us defensively.
“That shouldn’t happen this early. But at the same time, it is early and we have to understand we’re getting back in the flow of things, so we need to be ready to go when the ball is jumped up. Very correctable mistakes.”
The Knicks were unable to get on target from long range, shooting 15-for-54 from three-point range. Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points and 18 rebounds but didn’t get hot until it was too late. Norman Powell had 29 points to lead Miami.
Brunson, who scored 37 points, singlehandedly carried the Knicks through the first half of the third quarter with 12 points and two assists. But when he went to the bench, the game fell apart.
The score was tied at 76 with 4:09 left in the third quarter when Brunson went to the bench. By the time the quarter ended, the deficit was 88-81, and it quickly jumped to 93-81 before Brown called for a timeout 1:45 into the fourth quarter. But he did not make a change, keeping Jordan Clarkson as the point guard.
Clarkson tapped in his own miss with 9:00 left to snap an 11-0 Miami run, drawing a foul on the play, hitting the free throw to close the gap to 93-84 and allowing Brunson to re-enter the game.
The Heat stretched the lead to 18 in the fourth quarter before Towns, who missed his first six attempts from beyond the arc, finally connected. It was the Knicks’ first three-pointer to fall in the quarter after they misfired on the first six they attempted.
With the Heat sitting in a zone, Brunson connected from three-point range to cut the deficit to 105-95 with 4:08 to play. The Knicks drew as close as five, but Andrew Wiggins hit a three-pointer to help the Heat stay ahead.
Notes & quotes: The Knicks were without Deuce McBride, who was away for personal reasons but is expected to join them on the trip. With McBride missing after starting Friday’s game against Boston and Mitchell Robinson still sidelined (workload management), the Knicks again turned to Ariel Hukporti, who started the opener but did not play at all Friday. Robinson is on the trip and might play in Milwaukee or Chicago.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
