decided by two points.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThe New York Knicks outscored the Heat 71-56 in the first two quarters. Miami quickly took control over the 3rd and 4th quarters. The\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Knicks shot 58 % from the field<\/b><\/em>, and 41 percent from the 3-point<\/strong><\/em>. New York was outrebounded 39-34, and struggle from the free-throw line. Julius Randle had a monster game,<\/strong> <\/em>adding 43 points, 9 rebounds and 8-13 from the 3-point line. Jalen Brunson was back in the lineup<\/em><\/strong>, added a nice 25 points, and RJ Barrett added 17. Ultimately Julius Randle\u2019s fadeaway and 1 over Adebayo helped seal this game.<\/p>\nThe Heat kept things close the entire game. Jimmy Butler<\/strong> rebounded with 33 points on 7-15 shooting<\/strong> <\/em>and got to the free-throw line 22 times. Kevin Love recently joined the Heat and added 9 points. Tyler Herro had a huge shooting night<\/strong><\/em>, adding 29 points on 11-18, and 5-8 from the 3-point. As a team, the Heat scored 48 % from the 3-point, and 48 % from the field. The difference was the Knicks fast break points and points off turnovers.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nRegular Season Recap<\/h1>\nNew York Knicks<\/h2>\nOverall: 42-31 Home: 20-17 Away: 22-14 Last 10: 6-4<\/h3>\n
Led by head coach Tom Thibodeau, and Forward\/Center Julius Randle<\/em>, The Knicks are a decent team this season.<\/em><\/strong> By Christmas time, the Knicks were in the middle of a 5-game win streak and were 18-16. New York has key wins<\/strong> <\/em>against Denver, Cleveland, Sacramento, Phoenix, Boston, Philadelphia, and Miami.<\/p>\n\u00a0Power Forward Julius Randle<\/strong><\/em> is in his 4th season with the Knicks. He\u2019s averaging a career-high 25.6 points per\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>game <\/i><\/b>and elevated his game play this year.\u00a0 He averages 10.2 rebound per game, which is 8th in the league,<\/strong> <\/em>and is 46.1 percent from the field. He\u2019s averaging 27.1 points per game in March and exploded for 46 points against the Wizards. In addition, Guard Jalen Brunson was a great signing for the Knicks last offseason<\/strong><\/em>. After playing four years for the Mavericks, Brunson is averaging career-highs in points (23.8), steals (0.9), blocks (0.2), assists (6.2), 3-point percentage (41.3), and minutes (34.9). RJ Barrett is having another consistent shooting, although is 3-point shooting is down by nearly 3 percent this season.<\/p>\nThis Knicks team is playing with tenacity<\/strong><\/em>, and Randle is coming of a 57-point game<\/strong><\/em>. Guards Quentin Grimes, Josh Hart, and Evan Fournier(occasionally) are nice bench options for the guard position.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\u00a0Jalen Brunson<\/strong><\/em> spent four seasons alongside one of the best players in the league, Luka Doncic. However, he was never the top guy. Although Julius Randle is having an incredible year, Jalen Brunson has been not only a leader for this team. Brunson is a two-time champion with Villanova and knows what it takes to win.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 This Knicks team is showing chemistry, and sometimes it takes more than putting up stats. They are top 5th in opponent 3-point percentage, 11th in points allowed, and are 3rd in the league in Rebound<\/em>s. They rank middle of the pack in points scored, and t<\/strong>op 11 in defense overall.<\/strong><\/em> New York is .500 in their division, which consists of top teams, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Boston.<\/p>\nMiami Heat<\/h2>\nOverall: 39-34 Home: 24-13, Away: 15-21 Last 10: 6-4<\/h3>\n
Last season, the Miami Heat<\/strong><\/em> finished 1st in the Eastern Conference, at 53-29. They lost to the Boston Celtics, 4-3, in the Conference Finals, and had high expectations going into this season. They are currently sitting 7th in the Eastern Conference.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThis season has been a different story for the Heat. The Heat lost P.J Tucker, and Markieff Morris in the off season. During the 2022-2023 NBA trade deadline, the heat shipped off Center Dewayne Dedmon to the Spurs for Cash Considerations. They added Forward Kevin Love in March to add more depth.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThe Heat certainly have talent on this Roster<\/strong><\/em>. Although Star Forward Jimmy \u201cbuckets\u201d Butler<\/strong><\/em>, leads the way for the heat, they have 7 players that average double-digits in points. That list includes Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Max Struss, Caleb Martin, and Victor Oladipo. Jimmy Butler is averaging 22.7 points,<\/strong><\/em> 6.1 rebounds, and a career-high 53 field goal percentage. He\u2019s been playing very well post all-star break<\/strong><\/em>, and always comes up clutch in the post season. With the injuries and declining play of Kyle Lowry<\/strong><\/em>, the Heat lack a true point\u00a0<\/strong>guard, and playma<\/b>ker.<\/strong><\/em> They are 24th in the League in assists, which proves how desperately they need a playmaker. Although Kyle Lowry's future is unclear,<\/b><\/em> the heat plan to use him on the bench.<\/strong> <\/em>Lowry has struggled in many statistical categories, and Gabe Vincent has taken his role as starting point guard.<\/p>\nBefore Christmas, Miami was a below .500 team at 16-17. Since Christmas, the Heat have gone 23-17.<\/strong><\/em> The Heat are 19-18 against above .500 teams<\/strong>,<\/em> and 14-8 in games decided by 3 points or less<\/strong><\/em>. They are 5-5 in the month of March, after a sub .500 record in February. Although the Heat have talent, they rank last in the league in points per game, and 28th in rebound<\/strong>s.<\/strong><\/em> On the defensive end, they are top 2 in opponents points per game.<\/strong><\/em> Although they hold opponents to free throw attempts, they struggle against perimeter three pointers.<\/strong><\/em> This is a must win game for the Heat, who are 2.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Hawks in the 7th seed.<\/p>\nInjury Report<\/h1>\nNew York Knicks<\/h2>\n
PG Duane Washington (OUT)<\/strong>
\nG Trevor Keels(questionable)<\/strong><\/p>\nMiami Heat<\/h3>\n
SF Caleb Martin (Questionable) Left Knee<\/strong>
\nPG Kyle Lowry (Questionable)- Expected to play.<\/strong>
\nC Cody Zeller (OUT)<\/strong><\/p>\nKey Players<\/h1>\nNew York Knicks<\/h2>\nJulius Randle<\/h3>\n
Julius Randle is having a career year<\/strong><\/em>. It\u2019s important to note, Randle is coming off a career high 57 p<\/strong>oints<\/strong><\/em> in the Knicks loss against Minnesota. In his last two games against the Knicks,<\/strong><\/em> he\u2019s averaging 33 points, 4 assists, and 10.2 rebounds<\/strong>.<\/em> In the two matchup games, he\u2019s shooting 50 % from the three-point, and 54.4 percent from the field. He\u2019s averaging 28.7 points per game, 8 rebounds, and 45 percent from the field in March. Look for him to keep dominating both inside the paint, and on defense.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nJalen Brunson<\/h3>\n
Jalen Brunson is also having a career year<\/strong><\/em>. In two games against Miami, he\u2019s averaging 25 points, 8 assists, shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point shooting, and 64.3 %<\/strong> from the field.<\/strong>\u00a0 Although battling a foot injury, <\/em>He\u2019s been dominating the month of March, averaging 27.3 points per game, shooting 42.6 percent from the three, and 52.9 percent from the field. Look for Brunson to continue the hot streak on both sides of the ball, where he\u2019s had 6 steals<\/strong><\/em> in March.<\/p>\nRJ Barrett<\/h3>\n
RJ Barrett has played exceptionally well in his two games against Miami this season<\/strong><\/em>. He\u2019s averaging 23.5 points, 5 rebounds, and shooting 55.3% from the field. However, Barrett is 0% on 3-point shooting against Miami. Randle, Barrett, and Brunson have combined for 81.5 average points in the two-game series<\/strong><\/em>. Look for role players Josh Hart, Immanuel Quickley, and Quentin Grimes to step up as well.<\/p>\nMiami Heat<\/h2>\nJimmy Butler<\/h3>\n
Look for #22 to keep up his hot streak.<\/strong><\/em> In March, Butler is averaging 21.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 50 % from the 3-point line. In two games against New York this season, Butler is averaging 21.5 points, 5 assists, 50 percent from the three-point,<\/strong><\/em> and 42.9 percent from the field, down his season averaging 53 percent.<\/p>\nBam Adebayo<\/h3>\n
Bam Adebayo has played very well against the Knicks this season<\/strong><\/em>. He\u2019s averaged 25 points, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks, 6.5 rebounds, and 56.3 percent from the field. If he can outrebound Julius Randle, protect the rim, and get to the line, he could be a difference maker. Outrebounding the Knicks will be key here for the heat.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nTyler Herro<\/h3>\n
No one is playing better than Tyler Herro against the Knicks.<\/strong><\/em> He\u2019s averaging 27 points in their matchups<\/strong><\/em>, 7 assists, 6.5 rebounds, and 50 % from the 3-point. If Caleb Martin can\u2019t suit up, look for Kevin Love to step up<\/em>. In addition to Max Struss, Oladipo, and Gabe Vincent are viable scoring options. However, Oladipo is averaging career-lows in points per game (10.1), and his shooting percentages are down this year.<\/p>\nKey Stats<\/h1>\n
\u2022 New York<\/strong> averages 115.4 points per game <\/strong>(<\/em>14th in the league)<\/p>\n\u2022 Miami<\/strong> averages 109 points per game<\/strong><\/em> (30th in the League)<\/p>\n\u2022 New York<\/strong> ranks 11th in points allowed with 112.6 opponents points per game.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\u2022 Miami<\/strong> ranks 2nd in points allowed with 109.5 opponents points per game.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\u2022 New York<\/strong> ranks 3rd in rebounds per game<\/strong><\/em> with 46.3<\/p>\n\u2022 Miami<\/strong> ranks 28th in rebounds per game<\/strong><\/em> with 40.9<\/p>\n\u2022 New York<\/strong> ranks 22nd in