Five Takeaways From Knicks Loss vs. Heat

The Miami Heat defeated the New York Knicks 115-107 in their home opener. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 37 points, but it wasn't enough as Miami's strong bench play and a crucial fourth-quarter run secured the victory. The loss dropped the Knicks to 2-1 on the season.

Norman Powell Lights Up Miami's Home Opener With Career Start

Norman Powell continued his scorching start to the season, leading the Heat with 29 points on efficient 7-of-15 shooting from the field. Powell was perfect from the free-throw line, making all 12 of his attempts, while also contributing seven rebounds and three steals. His performance helped Miami improve to 2-1 on the season.

Through three games, Powell is averaging 24.0 points per game and has been the Heat's most consistent offensive threat. He matched Bam Adebayo with a team-high 15 shot attempts and showed his ability to score from all three levels, keeping the Knicks defense honest throughout the contest.​

Miami's Bench Outplayed New York's Reserves

The Heat's second unit made a massive difference in this game, outscoring the Knicks' bench 44-21. Jaime Jaquez Jr. was the star off the pine, finishing with 17 points on an impressive 8-of-12 shooting from the field.

He also added five rebounds and five assists in 27 minutes. Simone Fontecchio chipped in with 14 points for Miami's reserves. Meanwhile, the Knicks' bench struggled mightily, shooting just 1-of-18 from three-point range. The absence of Miles McBride due to personal reasons hurt New York's depth. This bench production gap proved critical in Miami's victory.

Knicks Three-Point Shooting Woes Continue

New York's offense sputtered due to poor shooting from beyond the arc. The Knicks shot just 27.8 percent from three-point range, making only 15 of 54 attempts. While the team attempted 54 three-pointers, tying a franchise record, they couldn't convert.

The bench was particularly cold, hitting just one of 18 attempts from downtown. Even reliable shooters like OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns combined to shoot just 9-of-25 from three. This marked a continuation of New York's recent struggles from distance, as they shot below 30 percent in multiple recent games.

Heat's Game-Changing Fourth Quarter Run

The turning point came at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth when Miami went on an 11-0 run with Brunson on the bench.

The Heat outscored the Knicks 23-6 over a seven-minute stretch, building an 18-point lead. Jaquez's layup capped the run and gave Miami a 93-81 advantage with 10:15 remaining.

The Knicks endured a scoring drought lasting over four minutes during this critical stretch. When Brunson returned to the game, New York was out of rhythm and couldn't mount a serious comeback until it was too late.​

Brunson Battles But Gets Limited Help

Jalen Brunson put on a heroic performance with 37 points on 14-of-26 shooting, including five three-pointers and seven assists. He kept the Knicks within striking distance, cutting the deficit to 110-105 with 1:32 remaining.

However, Brunson received minimal offensive support. Karl-Anthony Towns managed only 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting, though he grabbed 18 rebounds. Mikal Bridges added 20 points but needed the entire game to reach that total.

Andrew Wiggins sealed Miami's victory with a clutch three-pointer after Brunson's late basket. The Knicks needed more balanced scoring to overcome Miami's depth.​

The Knicks will look to bounce back from this loss when they travel to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Tuesday, October 28, at 7:00 p.m.