How It Happened:To start tonight’s contest at the Garden, the Knicks looked rested, fresh, and ready to exact revenge from Monday’s loss in Miami. New York scored 27 in the first quarter and both teams exchanged leads 13 times in a competitive first half where the home team only trailed by one point.
The third quarter was problematic for the Knicks as the Heat executed lockdown defense, holding New York to 14 points and outscoring them 24-14. The Knicks only connected on 28 percent of their shots from the floor in the third frame while Carmelo Anthony was held scoreless and Kristaps Porzingis was shackled due to foul trouble. Anthony did not score in the second half and was only one of three Knicks in double figures.
A quick spurt in the fourth quarter was nullified when Miami put together a 10-0 run in the middle of the period to place the game out of reach. Gerald Green was a spark off the pine for the road squad with a game-high 25 points, Chris Bosh scored 20, and Dwyane Wade added 17. With the 97-78 win, the Heat improved to 10-5 on the season and the Knicks fell to 8-9.
Knick of the Night: Despite foul trouble, Porzingis managed to score 11 points, grab eight boards, and swat three shots in 23 minutes of action. Next Up:The Knicks will have a day off from game action to prepare for a home contest against the Houston Rockets on Sunday night at 7:30 PM.