The Knicks STORMED back from a 19-pt deficit late in the 2nd quarter to take command of the game and beat the Heat in Overtime, 116-112 on a Sunday evening in Miami.
It was an impressive win for NY — as they seemed to disregard the big Miami lead and impose their will on the game.
Miami had gone on a run during the last 6 minutes of the 2nd quarter to turn a close game (at 42-39 Miami) into a 19-pt lead. Miami maintained that 19-pt lead until 7 minutes left in the 3rd, when the Knicks dug in and made their comeback — and completely took control.
OG Anunoby had a HUGE night — he was everywhere on defense and hitting 3’s from the corner and drives inside — 23 pts on 9-18 shooting (4-9 from 3), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks and a +8.
And Jalen Brunson TOOK OVER the game at the end of regulation and in OT for the Knicks, with Clutch shot after Clutch shot or Great pass. He had 31 pts on 13-25 shooting (3-11 from 3), 6 assists, and a +12.
Mitchell Robinson‘s SIZE again came in big for NY, playing 13 minutes with the 2nd team — on one play in the 3rd quarter diving head-first to grab a loose ball — and providing a wall on defensive possessions at the end of regulation and OT. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 pts (on 6-11 shooting) and 16 rebounds and a +10. Josh Hart did Josh Hart things all night. Mikal Bridges didn’t shoot well but hit key shots, had 8 assists and played terrific D. Miles McBride, Cameron Payne, and Landry Shamet were all good off the bench.
Thibs Thoughts
“Obviously we didn’t want to get in a hole like we did in the 1st half; they’ve been playing really well.” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “I think our defense tightened up in the 2nd half, and the rebounding was really good. Then we started making shots, and there were a lot of timely plays and hustle plays that got us going.”
“Some of it was that we were missing open 3’s and we allowed that to take away from the intensity that we needed defensively,” added Thibs. “But I thought the 2nd half was really good.”
NY improves to 40-20, the 4th best record in the NBA. Miami falls to 28-31.
1. Miami Jumps on Top; Knicks Hang In
Miami was without Andrew Wiggins (averaging 17.6 ppg), Jamie Jaquez (averaging 9.0 ppg), and Nikola Jovic (averaging 10.7 ppg) but had plenty of fire power with Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and rookie 7-footer Kel’el Ware — the #15 pick in last June’s draft.
Davion Mitchell filled in for Wiggins and had a big night early, hitting jumpers and 3’s, and the athletic Ware was doing damage inside as Miami raced out to a 19-10 lead after a Kel’el Ware dunk. Miami pushed it to a 10-pt lead at 25-15 after a Ware offensive rebound and dunk with 2:55 left in the 1st quarter.
Another Ware dunk — off an alley opp pass from Herro – made it 27-17 Miami with 2 minutes left in the 1st.
But the Knicks fought back — a Jalen Brunson drive and Miles McBride 3 sliced the Miami lead to 5 pts entering the 2nd quarter.
2. Knicks Pull Close Early in 2nd
Mitchell Robinson entered the game late in the 1st, and began to make his presence known with a block of a Tyler Herro shot. Robinson won a jump ball against Ware early in the 2nd quarter.
Josh Hart and Landry Shamet took turns scoring 4 buckets early in the 2nd (2 buckets each)– and then a McBride 3 and a free throw on a subsequent McBride drive pulled NY within 1 at 36-35 with 7 minutes left in the quarter.
3. Miami Run at End of 2nd Puts Them Up 19
A Cameron Payne jumper pulled NY within 42-39 and caused a Heat timeout. Miami coach Eric Spoelstra must have said something good because after the timeout, Miami went on a 16-0 run — with scoring by Haywood Highsmith, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, Duncan Robinson, a DUNK by Ware, and free throws by Adebayo — to take a 58-39 lead.
NY finally broke the schneid with Karl-Anthony Towns free throws but NY trailed by 17 at the half, and Knicks Twitter (X) was in down spirits.
4. NY Down 19, Start Comeback Midway thru 3rd
NY tried to push back out of the half, but Miami had an answer for anything NY did — with Bam Adebayo scoring inside and old-friend Alec Burks frustrating the Knick D with 3’s — he hit 3 three’s early in the 3rd allowing Miami to maintain their 19-pt lead — 79-60 with 7:10 left.
But steadily and surely, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks started to take control. Brunson with a floater then a drive for free throws; KAT a Dunk off an OG Anunoby pass; Brunson a 3 off an OG Anunoby pass — answering a Burks 3 — and OG Anunoby with a 3 pulling NY to within 13.
A Josh Hart drive off a NIFTY Brunson pass pulled NY to within 11 at 84-73.
— Strickland Vids (@StricklandVids) March 3, 2025
5. OG Everywhere
OG Anunoby was everywhere — defending, stealing the ball, passing for assists, and hitting 3’s or drives.
HERE COME THE KNICKS pic.twitter.com/kcH9G55grk
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 3, 2025
“OG Anunoby plays with a purpose, moves with a purpose and needs no plays called for him,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines. “He defends hard the entire possession while making you earn everything and on the other end his action off ball leads to good looks or creates space to hit his jumper. Plays for the name in the front.”
A Mikal Bridges 3 off an OG Anunoby assist pulled NY to within 8 at 84-76.
6. Mitch Diving for Loose Balls
Mitchell Robinson then DOVE head first for a loose ball — snatching it from 2 Miami players and forcing a jump ball.
MITCHELL ROBINSON HUSTLE pic.twitter.com/buPmGqMVLW
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 3, 2025
Mitch won the jump against Haywood Highsmith., getting the ball to Jalen Brunson, who came down and missed a 3 — but there was Mitchell Robinson again with an offensive rebound — which led to an Anunoby 3 off a Bridges pass to pull NY to within 5 pts with 1:30 left in the 3rd.
A Mitchell Robinson offensive rebound and tip shot pulled NY to within 3 before a Herro 3 gave Miami a 6-pt lead entering the 4th.
7. Brunson Takes Command Down Stretch in 4th
A couple of Bam Adebayo drives and scores by Terry Rozier put Miami back up 12 early in the 4th — 96-84 — and it looked like the Knick run caused them to run out of gas.
But the Knicks were only catching their breath — they went back to work. Scores by Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and a 3 by McBride pulled NY to within 7, and a floater by Brunson made it a 5-pt game with 5 minutes left. Miami timeout.
The Miami timeout did them no good this time:
- Out of the time out, the Knicks defended well, got the ball, and Brunson made a huge 10-footer to pull NY within 3.
- OG Anunoby Blocked Tyler Herro’s 3-pt jumper, and Brunson scored on a drive down the other end and NY was within a point at 100-99 Miami and 3:59 left.
OG with the stop, cap with the drop 💪 pic.twitter.com/L5a7HMDVUb
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 3, 2025
Knicks Take the Lead
McBride hit a 16-footer with 2:58 to give NY the lead at 101-100.
Herro Appears to Put Miami On Top for Good
But Tyler Herro came back with a 3 and a deuce and Miami was back up 104-100 with 1:17 left. It was Not looking good for NY.
OG & Brunson CLUTCH
Out of a timeout, Brunson missed a 3 — but OG Anunoby came up with the HUGE offensive rebound and tip in — and NY had life — down 104-102 with 50 seconds left.
NY needed to defend — and they did — Highsmith missing a 3, and Josh Hart grabbing the rebound — up-tempo-ing back up court — and feeding Brunson who sliced to the basket for yet another CLUTCH bucket and tie game with 26 seconds left.
JALEN BRUNSON TIES IT UP pic.twitter.com/imySejD5Xp
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 3, 2025
“Big Body Brunson is something SPECIAL!!!!,” enthused former NBA center and current NBA Analyst Kendrick Perkins.
Herro missed a 3 with 3 seconds left, and Mikal Bridges missed a 3 at the buzzer and we were on to OT.
8. Brunson & Knicks Brilliant in OT
Bam Adebayo made 2 buckets early in the OT, countered by a Jalen Brunson drive and then a 3 to give NY a 110-109 lead with 2:27 left.
OG Anunoby then Stole the ball from Bam Adebayo, and seconds later was fouled — and made one free throw for a 111-109 Knick lead.
Hart Huge Drive & D
The Knicks Defended — causing a Davion Mitchell miss — and Josh Hart hit a drive in traffic off a Brunson pass for a Huge bucket and 113-109 Knick lead with 1:15 left.
After a timeout, Josh Hart Blocked Bam Adebayo’s layup for Knick ball. Miami fouled Brunson, and he hit 1 of 2 free throws for a 114-109 Knick lead with 42 seconds left.
Old Friend Burks
Tyler Herro missed a 3 — and ball out of bounds to NY — but Miami challenged and the refs said Brunson had fouled Highsmith, disallowing Highsmith from grabbing the offensive rebound. It was a dubious call — as Brunson appeared to make slight, incidental contact going for the loose ball. But Miami had the ball back, and out of a timeout, old friend Alec Burks broke free and hit a 3 — and it was a 114-112 game, NY with 27 seconds left.
Bridges to OG for the Coup de Grace
Out of a timeout, Mikal Bridges found Anunoby for a DUNK and ballgame — NY 116-112 with 17 seconds left.
OG Anunoby ices OT with the slam 💪
The exclamation point on New York’s 19-point comeback win! pic.twitter.com/zyX54eqQQ9
— NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2025
Adebayo missed a 3 with 6 seconds left and NY had the win!
The @nyknicks come back to win it from down 19!
It’s their largest comeback win of the season… watch how they did it ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/MRzJdkVZab
— NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2025
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