Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 35 points and dished nine assists, leading the host Miami Heat to a 127-120 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
Miami was trailing by two early in the fourth quarter before the Heat responded with a crucial 16-2 run.
New York never recovered, and Miami beat the Knicks for the first time in three tries this season.
For the game, the Heat shot 57 percent, including 16-for-28 on 3-pointers (57.1 percent).
Butler, who also had four steals and just one turnover, scored at least 30 points for the ninth time this season. He made 11 of 19 shots from the floor, including 2 of 2 on 3-pointers. He also converted 11 of 14 free-throw attempts.
It was the fifth straight game that Butler had at least 10 attempts from the foul line.
Miami (40-34), which won its fourth straight home game, also got 22 points from Tyler Herro and 19 points from Gabe Vincent.
New York (42-32) was led by RJ Barrett (26 points), Jalen Brunson (25 points) and Quentin Grimes (22 points). Grimes was the game’s top 3-point shooter, making 6 of 10 shot attempts from deep.
Knicks All-Star Julius Randle was held to 15 points on a frustrating night that included a technical foul. He made just 7 of 16 shot attempts, including 1 of 5 3-point tries, but had a team-high nine assists.
The game was intense as exemplified by one third-quarter play that ended with three players on the ground — Miami’s Kevin Love and New York’s Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein.
There were four lead changes and two ties in a first quarter that ended with the Knicks on top, 32-31.
Miami led by as many as nine points in the second quarter, settling for a 64-61 halftime advantage. Butler led all first-half scorers with 16 points. Brunson led the Knicks with 14 points.
In the third quarter, Randle, frustrated by an offensive foul called on him during his dunk attempt, was hit with a technical foul with 3:19 left. New York trailed 88-77 at that time.
However, the Knicks rallied toward the end of the third quarter and entered the fourth trailing 92-86.
New York regained the lead with 9:35 left in the fourth on a Mitchell Robinson dunk off a Josh Hart lob.
But Miami, trailing 100-98, went on its 16-2 run to take control.
–Field Level Media
