Butler back sharp as Heat beat Knicks

It was one of the worst shooting games of the season for the Miami Heat, by far: 39 percent from the field, 22 percent from 3-point range, barely 50 percent on usually easy shots at the rim.

Didn’t matter.

Defense — still the Heat staple, even in these high-scoring NBA days — came through, and moved Miami two wins away from another trip to the Eastern Conference finals.

Jimmy Butler returned from his sprained right ankle to score 28 points, Max Strus added 19, and the Heat topped the New York Knicks, 105-86, on Saturday to take a 2-1 lead in their East semifinal series.

“It’s about figuring out how to compete at a really high level,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra

said. “What’s necessary for that game to be able to win.”

For as poorly as the Heat shot, the Knicks were worse — 34 percent from the field, 20 percent from 3-point range, 46 percent from the restricted area around the rim.

And that was the story. “You’ve got to win games different ways,” Heat guard Kyle Lowry said. “In the playoffs, like I’ve said many a time and for many years now, every game is seriously different. And this is one of those games where we held them down . . . To win by half a point, 1 point, 2 points, 20 points, it’s about winning the game however it happens.”

Jalen Brunson scored 20 for New York, which got 15 from Josh Hart, 14 from RJ Barrett,

and 12 from Immanuel Quickley — who left midway through the fourth quarter after spraining an ankle that will be evaluated again Sunday. Julius Randle

added 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Game 4 is Monday.

“We couldn’t get stops early so we couldn’t get any easy buckets,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “So, we paid the price.”

Bam Adebayo had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Miami and Lowry added 14 points as the Heat never trailed. Duncan Robinson opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer, giving Miami an 11-point lead — and the lead remained double digits the rest of the way.

“Hopefully we can get back on the right track and find a way to make some shots next game and come out with a win,” Randle said.

Butler missed Game 2 with his ankle sprain and limped at times in the second half Saturday, but was effective throughout. He had 10 points in the opening quarter as Miami set the tone on both ends.

Lakers take 2-1 lead

Anthony Davis had 25 points and 13 rebounds, a slow-starting LeBron James finished with 21 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series with a 127-97 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 on Saturday night.

D’Angelo Russell hit five 3pointers while scoring 21 points for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who remained unbeaten at home in the postseason with a strong defensive effort against the reigning NBA champions.

James didn’t take a shot in the first quarter for the first time in his NBA-record 275 playoff appearances, but he warmed up in time to lead several runs in the second and third quarters while Los Angeles pulled away.

Stephen Curry scored 23 points and Andrew Wiggins had 16 in a collective stinker for the Warriors, who committed 19 turnovers and never mounted a response to the Lakers on either end in the second half. Golden State went 13 for 44 on 3-pointers — making just 10 while the game was still competitive — after hitting 21 in each of the series’ first two games in San Francisco.

Game 4 is Monday night in Los Angeles.

Davis had an impressive bounce-back game under both baskets after contributing minimally in Game 2, blocking four shots and leading the Lakers’ latest strong defensive effort. Los Angeles has built its 16-5 run since March 17 on defense, and the Warriors couldn’t hit enough shots from the perimeter to counteract their disadvantages in size and athleticism.

Klay Thompson had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors, but the rest of the roster beyond their top three scorers struggled mightily, combining for just 18 points before coach Steve Kerr pulled his starters with 9:11 to play. Draymond Green had 2 points in 23 minutes while playing with foul trouble.

The Warriors were held under 100 points for only the fifth time in 92 games this season.