Heat snap losing streak, surge past Knicks
The Miami Heat needed a jolt, any jolt, after a 36-point first half.
Enter the big-face caffeination of Jimmy Butler.
So the six-game losing streak is history, with a 98-88 victory Monday over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden giving the Heat their first win in 13 days.
“Losing stinks,” center Bam Adebayo said, “so it’s better to come out with a win.”
With Butler turning the game in the third quarter, Tyler Herro providing a needed spark off the bench, Duncan Robinson coming around from deep and Adebayo proving a closing kick, the Heat snapped the Knicks’ three-game winning streak.
“To start a winning streak, you got to win one. Hopefully, this is that one,” Butler said.
Butler closed with 27 points, supported by 18 from Herro, 14 from Robinson and a 20-point, 17-rebound double-double from Adebayo.
The rebounds were a season high for Adebayo.
“Anytime you drop any in a row let alone six in a row, we were struggling,” Robinson said. “So it’s certainly nice to just get this one, continue to move forward, and build off of it.”
Julius Randle let the Knicks with 22 points, with Derrick Rose adding 16 for New York.
Five Degrees Monday’s game: of Heat from
1. Closing time: After a series of frustrating close finishes, including their previous two losses, the Heat this time took a 75-64 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Heat then pushed to a 15-point lead with 7:09 to play, but the Knicks, with 3-pointers from Randle and Rose, had the deficit down to eight with 5:37 to play.
But that’s when Adebayo scored consecutive baskets to effectively put it away.
“We all fed off each other,” Adebayo said.
Adebayo had 10 points and six rebounds in the fourth.
“There were so many different areas that he affected the game,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Adebayo.
2. Taking charge: After an eightpoint first half, Butler seized control in the third quarter, scoring 15 in the period, as the Heat went from seven down at the half to a nine-point lead in the third.
“It was 10X, critical,” Spoelstra said of that moment from Butler. “This is a game, always with the Knicks, it’s going to be a grind, it’s going to be in the mud, you can’t generate wide-open looks every single possession. So Jimmy really just broke free in semi-transition to get going.”
Butler played in attack mode in the third, shooting 6 of 7 in the period, scoring as many points in the third quarter as the Heat had as a team in the second.
“I was making shots with my left hand, which doesn’t happen very often,” Butler said.
He was supported in the comeback by 11 points from Robinson in the third.
After scoring 36 points in the first half, the Heat scored 39 in the third, tying their highest-scoring third quarter of the season.
“I think once he was able to just get us the lead again, then other guys started to feel a lot more comfortable,” Spoelstra said. “Our 3-point shooters started to get going.”
3. Limited debut: Nemanja Bjelica had a five-minute scoreless firsthalf cameo in his Heat debut, after being acquired at Thursday’s trading deadline for Moe Harkless and Chris Silva.
“He’ll be able to pick up on our system pretty quickly,” Spoelstra said, “and then the skill and shooting that he provides I think will really help us.”
Bjelica, who had only one full practice with the Heat, did not attempt a shot during his stint.
Victor Oladipo, the Heat’s prime addition at last week’s NBA trade deadline, remained behind in Miami due to a cold.
Oladipo was acquired for Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley, who made his Houston Rockets debut on Monday.
4. Brick city: Both teams stood 4 of 19, a .211 percentage, on 3-pointers at half, with the Knicks taking a 43-36 lead into the break.
Herro was 3 of 5 on 3-pointers in the first half, his Heat teammates 1 of 14, including 1 of 5 from Robinson, 0 for 4 from Andre Iguodala and 0 for 3 by Trevor Ariza.
“It was great that our defense gave us a chance,” Robinson said.
5. Getting to it: With Goran Dragic back from a four-game absence due to back spasms and Kendrick Nunn out after his ankle sprain in Friday night’s loss in Charlotte, Spoelstra got closer to his playoff look by starting Dragic.
Entering the game, Dragic, Butler and Adebayo had played 89 total minutes together this season. As a matter of perspective, it was the same amount of minutes as the Gabe Vincent-Herro-Precious Achiuwa trio.
“It’s great to have G out there, of course. He just controls the game,” Robinson said. “Just [his] presence out there, we felt really comfortable with the ball in his hands.”
Dragic finished with four points, five rebounds and two assists.
“I know he’s still just getting his rhythm back, obviously missed some time,” Robinson said, “but it’s only a matter of time until he does.”