MIAMI — In the late morning at AmericanAirlines Arena, Knicks backup center Bobby Portis called the Heat “the shocker team in the league this year.’’
By the late evening, the Knicks confirmed it — victims of a shock-and-awe performance by the Heat, who brutalized the visitors from the opening tip, ran up a 34-point lead and prevailed 129-114.
Interim Knicks coach Mike Miller, whose record fell to 3-4, knew this would be a huge step up in class after his team throttled Atlanta on Tuesday. He cited the Heat being near the top of the NBA in offensive and defensive rating (points per 100 possessions).