The New York Knicks (2-2) had lost eight of their last ten games played at South Beach against the Miami Heat (2-2). But that was without Karl-Anthony Towns.
Before this game got good, it wasn’t great. Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson combined to hit just 1-of-7 first-half three-pointers. New York lost the first quarter 32-26 but rallied in the second, powered by Towns’ massive 24-point half and 10 points from Miles McBride off the bench. Towns and Tyler Herro kept trading blows in the second half, with Brunson joining in. New York’s 22-7 third-quarter rally, punctuated by eight three-pointers, swung the lead, 87-80.