The Miami Heat overcame a slow start coming back from the All-Star Break on Friday night, defeating the New York Knicks on the road, 115-100. It is now six straight road wins for the Miami Heat, who remain with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Game Recap:
Tyler Herro led the Heat in scoring with 25 points off the bench. It’s Herro’s 20th game this season with 20+ points off the bench, the most in the NBA. Three more players scored in double-figures for the Heat; Jimmy Butler with 23, Kyle Lowry with 19, and Bam Adebayo with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
The Heat started very slow on Friday, going down 10-0 a little under four minutes into the game. Despite RJ Barrett’s performance, the Heat would fight back to cut the Knicks lead to two at the end of the first quarter. Miami would go up 65-55 at the half, sparked by a 12-0 run.
Despite the Knicks trimming the lead back to one with 40 seconds left in the third, the Heat used their balance and great defense in the fourth to hold the Knicks, and widen the gap to 15 to close the game out.
RJ Barrett finished with a career-high 46 points and nine rebounds. That’s the most points by a Knick in a game since Carmelo Anthony in 2014.
Bam Adebayo on Friday’s performance:
“It makes it fun for us because everybody’s involved, we’re not depending on one person to get us 30 every night. So it’s a beautiful game when we play the right way and we share the ball and everybody gets a piece of the pie.”
Barrett made six three-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds in his return from a four-game absence with a sprained left ankle. His best game as a pro would have been even better if not for 14-of-22 shooting from the free throw line. Julius Randle also finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Next Up:
The Heat come back home on a back-to-back and host the San Antonio Spurs. Tip-off is at 8 Eastern.