Miami (USA), May 8 (EFE) this Monday by 109-101 to the New York Knicks and place 3-1 in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference of the NBA, to a single victory of the round pass.
The Heat, seeded eighth in the East and executioners of the Milwaukee Bucks in the previous round, emerged winners of a high-intensity game, tied and decided by details, in which they asserted their superior experience in the ‘playoffs’ and They imposed their law in the fight in the paint against some Knicks already on the brink of the abyss.
Jimmy Butler was once again the leader of the Heat, with 27 points, six rebounds, twelve assists, two steals and two blocks, with decisive plays on both sides of the court.
He was supported by Bam Adebayo, with a double double of 23 points and thirteen rebounds, and Max Strus, with 16 points and four triples, although the Heat’s bench also had a lot of merit, which contributed 32 points to the only ten of the Knicks’ .
Veteran Kyle Lowry chipped in fifteen points and Caleb Martin had ten for the Heat.
The Knicks were always in the game, but always down in the game, and every comeback attempt was thwarted by the Heat’s immediate reactions.
Jalen Brunson signed a double double of 32 points and eleven assists and RJ Barrett contributed 24 points, with three triples, while Julius Randle had twenty, with nine rebounds.
The last advantage of the Knicks in the duel was at the end of the fourth period at 30-29. Lowry closed out that quarter with a jumper that put the Heat ahead.
Miami increased that margin with a 9-2 run to open the second period, and with Butler on the bench, and despite a series of ups and downs, they did not grant the Knicks comeback options again.
Because Butler was the protagonist on both sides of the track, with magnificent defensive plays and marking and assisting his team’s possessions.
He opened the third quarter with a basket and a free kick that raised the score to 59-48 and gave a wonderful assist without looking at Adebayo, who once again put a seven-point margin between the two teams (65-58) to stop the Knicks’ reaction. .
The Knicks suffered a lot from the arc, but RJ Barrett sealed a three of five and finished a 7-0 run that put the Knicks within two points (67-65). It was the closest New Yorkers got to the Heat.
The problems of fouls by Randle and Josh Hart, already four in the third quarter, complicated the work of the Knicks and a triple by Martin raised the score to 88-78 for the Heat.
It was in the fourth quarter that the Knicks lost their chances for good, starting with 0-for-5 shooting from the field and giving up a long series of second and third downs to the Heat.
The Heat’s 5-0 offensive rebounding allowed Spoelstra’s men to maintain their lead and Randle’s sixth foul, against Strus with 3.08 to play, sentenced the New Yorkers.
The Heat, seeded eighth in these ‘playoffs’ in the East, lead 3-1 in the series and will have their first ‘match point’ next Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
