Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat Offense Scorches in Win Over Knicks

Sixteen days after the New York Knickerbocker’s snatched victory from the fangs of defeat in Miami, the Heat avenged its backhanded loss with a dub.

But first, the Heat honored the life and memory of the great Willis Reed, who died Tuesday at 80.

The hosts splashed four triples in the first five minutes, astonishing supporters and my fellow scribes on press row. Jimmy Butler had nine points in his 12 first-quarter minutes, coming from a trifecta in the corner, a fastbreak score and a reverse layup on the baseline.

Gabe Vincent matched Butler’s nine in the first quarter, converting three out of four 3-pointers. He was the recipient of the Knicks over-helping on Butler twice by collapsing in the paint on a baseline drive and after setting a ghost screen. In between those makes, #2 also hit a fastbreak bomb on the left wing.

In man-to-man coverage early, Butler stuck to Jalen Brunson, and Vincent guarded RJ Barrett. When Miami blitzed New York’s pick and roll up top, the visitors swung the ball to the weak side corner or any other break in the armor.

Through 12 minutes, one of the Heat’s biggest concerns was securing defensive rebounds and allowing five second-chance points. For the following three quarters, the Knicks recovered four more attacking boards and five points on second tries.

On locking up the glass, Butler told me after the game, “It’s a will to want to do it. Boxing out, hitting somebody first, and then going to get the ball with two hands. That’s the most important thing… I think once we realized that, settled down, put our hands on the ball, kick it ahead and [got] into the open floor, it was alright.”

The Heat were still beat in the rebounding battle 29-42, but the home team’s superb efficiency through four periods nullified the three more attempts the Knicks took from the field. Miami had five players score at least double figures, dropping at least 50% of goal ventures, and the team finished with six fewer turnovers.

Brunson lit up the Heat in the first half for 14 points on five out of seven shots. He nimbly got Vincent on the side of his hip and posted him up in the low post for a turnaround jumper, plus the foul. Brunson also got into the lane past Caleb Martin and Butler without a screen and swished a well-contested right-wing triple.

At halftime, the Heat held a 64-61 lead while its deep efficiency remained at 52.9%. Butler and Vincent combined for 31 points on 11 of 17 attempts.

In the second half, Miami was sharper offensively, despite New York getting it together themselves. The Knicks briefly claimed an advantage in the fourth quarter, but in the last seven minutes, the Heatles never gave it back, regardless of the visitors making 70.6% of attempts in the frame.

Butler mercilessly belittled the Knicks. While at the free throw line for his fifth and sixth shots, JB taunted Julius Randle in front of referee Brian Forte. It could have been good old-fashioned gamesmanship or the result of the officials letting the match get out of hand because calls were missed on both teams.

In the final stretch, Tyler Herro was the difference maker. #14 scored 14 points off catch-and-shoot trays and attacked Mitchell Robinson in drop coverage. With under three minutes left, Herro isolated Randle at the key after a pick and hit a 3-pointer in his eye to give Miami a double-digit lead.

As the game concluded, coach Erik Spoelstra walked over to Dwyane Wade standing courtside and hugged him from behind.

At the postgame presser, Bam Adebayo stressed the importance of every game. He said, “At this point, the situation we’re in and how we’re trying to keep building and get higher in the standings, every game feels like a playoff game.”

The Heat sits at .01 percentage points behind the Brooklyn Nets for sixth place in the East with eight matches left.