Norman Powell scored 19 points to lead seven Miami players in double figures and the Heat withstood a late rally by the visiting New York Knicks to win 115-113 on Monday.
Davion Mitchell had 18 points for Miami, which snapped a two-game skid and avenged a 140-132 road loss to the Knicks on Friday. Kel’el Ware had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Simone Fontecchio added 14 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Pelle Larsson scored 13 apiece, and Dru Smith had 11.
Miles McBride scored 13 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter for the Knicks, who trailed by 10 points with 3:10 remaining.
After McBride made back-to-back 3-pointers during an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 112-110 with 1:10 left, Powell scored on Miami’s next possession before Karl-Anthony Towns drilled a 3-pointer to make it a one-point game with 22.4 seconds left.
Mitchell made 1 of 2 foul shots to give Miami a 115-113 lead with 21.4 seconds left, and Ware blocked Towns’ shot with 13.2 seconds left to preserve the lead.
The Knicks gained possession on a jump ball with 7.8 seconds to play, but their final two shots fell short and the Heat held on in a game that featured 10 ties and 21 lead changes.
Mikal Bridges scored 23 points for New York, while Towns added 22 points and 15 rebounds. Josh Hart and Jordan Clarkson scored 14 apiece, and Landry Shamet had 10.
The Knicks shot 25% percent (9 of 36) from beyond the arc after entering the contest averaging a league-high 16.8 3-pointers per game.
The teams played at a much slower pace than Friday, when New York recorded a season-high point total. The Knicks made just seven field goals in the first quarter in the rematch and trailed 25-20 at the end of the period.
The Heat held a 55-51 advantage at the half after closing on a 15-7 run. Bridges had 15 points at the break for the Knicks, who played without injured starters Jalen Brunson (sprained right ankle) and OG Anunoby (strained left hamstring).
Miami ended the third quarter with an 83-82 lead after closing on an 11-4 run.
Neither team was able to create any separation until Ware’s three-point play put Miami ahead 108-99 with 4:05 remaining.
–Field Level Media
