One of the most bitter rivalries in the NBA added another chapter to their saga on Tuesday night when the New York Knicks paid a visit to the Miami Heat. It was a big game for both teams as they are jostling for position in the Eastern Conference standings.
New York entered the game in fourth place, on the heels of the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers for the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds. Miami is currently No. 7, stuck in the top spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
With so much at stake on Tuesday night, it was the Heat who were able to come away victorious. They jumped the Knicks early, building a huge double-digit lead and holding that for a majority of the game, but no lead is safe in today’s NBA.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Josh Hart, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, New York Knicks Updates
New York had an impressive comeback, tying the game in the fourth quarter despite trailing by as many as 16 points in the game. But, they were unable to get over the hump and actually take the lead back at any point, as Miami held them off and came away with a 109-99 victory.
One player whom the Knicks were most concerned about slowing down was Jimmy Butler. Butler has hurt them in the past with his two-way skill set, a stellar defender who can erase any opponent on that end of the court and a timely shotmaker.
Before the game, Knicks guard Josh Hart spoke about the impact that Butler can have. He made an interesting analogy when speaking about him, as this time of the year is when Butler starts to really lock-in.
“Jimmy kind of does side quests during the year until about April. Then he starts locking in. I’m sure people are going to see that maniac competitive side now that he’s done with the side quests and he’s on to the main quest,” Hart said, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Josh Hart, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, New York Knicks Updates
Butler didn’t have his normal impact offensively, as he scored 17 points going 5-of-12 from the field and making all six of his free throw attempts. But, he took his assignment on defense seriously, as he was matched up with Jalen Brunson for the majority of the night.
He was able to make things difficult for Brunson, who got going as a playmaker with 10 assists but struggled from the field. The Knicks’ All-Star point guard shot 5-of-18 from the field and 1-of-6 on 3-pointers for one of his least productive games of the season.
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