Thud. Knicks Offense Turns Into Heaving Up & Missing 3’s. Miami 115 NY 107

October 27, 2025 LouV 2025-26 0

Down 88-81, and with Miles McBride out due to personal reasons, the Knicks started the 4th quarter without a point guard — coach Mike Brown pulling backup point guard Tyler Kolek who was having an ineffective game and instead bringing in shooter Jordan Clarkson while Jalen Brunson rested.

The result was an offense that just started chucking up — and missing — 3’s as Miami ran the Knicks off the court. What was an 82-81 Miami lead with 1:34 left in the 3rd quarter became an 18-pt Miami lead — 105-87 — with 5:48 left in the game.

Jordan Clarkson missed 4 shots; Karl-Anthony Towns kept missed a 3; Landry Shamet — who had missed two 3’s a the end of the 3rd — missed a pullup; and OG Anunoby missed a 3. Meanwhile Miami’s Norman Powell torched the Knicks — driving past Clarkson for buckets or hitting 3’s en route to 29 pts.

Brown did not waive the white flag — and Jalen Brunson and the starters launched a frantic comeback in the final minutes that pulled the Knicks to within 5 at 110-105 with 1:32 left. But Miami’s Andrew Wiggins responded with a big 3, and the Knicks did not get some calls in the final minute as Miami survived for the 115-107 win.

On a Sunday night in Miami — gametime start 6pm.

Brunson led the Knicks with 37 pts on 14-26 shooting (5-11 from 3) and 7 assists. But NY was hurt by KAT going 0-6 from 3 before finally hitting two 3’s late in the game. KAT finished with 15 pts on 6-14 shooting (2-8 from 3) with 18 rebounds, while Bam Adebayo had 19 pts on 5-15 shooting (1-5 from 3) and 13 rebounds.

Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele, and Landry Shamet combined for 3-21 shooting (0-12 from 3) for 10 pts.

Knick observer NYKMentality85 summed up Knick fan sentiment on Twitter: “This is what you guys are calling an upgrade over #Thibs and a “great” coach? Letting his players chuck 3’s with no offensive scheme? 11/44 from 3?!?!? This isn’t “offense” it’s blatant chucking and we’re losing by 12 in the 4th Quarter because of it. Embarrassing.”

1. The Windup

Miami was 37-45 last season and missed the playoffs. The Knicks meanwhile were one of the final 3 teams playing last season under Tom Thibodeau after going 51-31 during the regular season, and came into this game a perfect 2-0 under new coach Mike Brown.

But this was the first road game for NY — and Mike Brown‘s fluent offense would be tested by Miami and coach Erik Spoelstra — regarded as the best coach in the game — with former Knick coach and Miami GM extraordinaire Pat Riley sitting courtside.

The broadcast showed both Patrick Ewing and Alonso Mourning in attendance. The two buddies who both played at Georgetown were involved in basketball Wars in the late 90’s with classic NY-Miami playoff matchups.

Lost to the wind are the Alonzo Mourning post-game interviews after losses to the Knicks in the playoffs in the 90’s — he’d be so MAD and so PISSED. Never seen anything like it before or since. It was funny.

2. Knicks Led 27-24 After 1 Quarter

With that as the backdrop, the two teams played evenly throughout the first 3 quarters. NY led 27-24 after 1 quarter. Jalen Brunson led NY in scoring, with help from OG Anunoby, KAT, and Mikal Bridges, while Norman Powell led Miami in scoring, with help from Jaime Jaquez Jr., Davion Mitchell, and Bam Adebayo.

3. Miami Led 57-54 At the Half

The 2nd quarter started with a 3 by Tyler Kolek, but Miami came back with a bunch of 3’s by Simone Fontecchio, Dru Smith, and Bam Adebayo to take a 35-31 lead. Andrew Wiggins joined the Miami scoring and the two teams played evenly until the half. A Mikal Bridges bucket off a Josh Hart assist pulled the Knicks within 57-54 at the half.

4. Miami Up 82-81 with 1:34 Left in 3rd — Goes on 11-0 Run

Kel’el Ware joined the Miami scoring in the 3rd quarter, and he and Norman Powell and Davion Mitchell kept Miami in the lead until Mikal Bridges hit 3 free throws after a flagrant foul to tie the game 76-76 with 4:48 left in the quarter.

An OG Anunoby 3 pulled NY to within 82-81 with 1:43 left.

But in the last minute and a half:

That put Miami up by 7 — 88-81 entering the 4th.

5. With No Point Guard, Knicks Chuck Away to Start 4th

Coach Brown pulled Kolek to start the 4th, and brought in Jordan Clarkson. With no point guard, the Knicks started chucking up — and missing 3’s — and Miami raced out to an 18-pt lead.

  • OG missed a 3,
  • Miami’s Fontecchio Hit a 3,
  • Clarkson missed a bucket inside,
  • KAT missed a 3,
  • Miami’s Jaquez hit a drive to put Miami up 93-81. Knicks timeout.

After the timeout:

  • Clarkson missed a 10 footer
  • Miami’s Fontecchio missed a 3,
  • Clarkson missed a 3,
  • Miami’s Adebayo missed a 3,
  • Clarkson missed a floater, then finally hit a tip shot off his own miss — and 1 — to pull NY within 9 at 93-84.

6. Powell Pushes Knicks to Brink

But Miami kept coming. Brunson came back into the game with 9 minutes left, but missed a 3; Mikal Bridges missed a J and Miami went up by 12.

“Tweeted this below back in 2019 on Norman Powell,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines on Twitter. “He kept working and taking his game to another level. What Norman also does beside scoring the ball in a variety of ways is he plays with a purpose, moves with a purpose, competes on both ends while letting the game come to him.”

Ross was referencing a May, 2019 post, where he observed: “Norman Powell needs to continue getting more run. He has the ability to create his own offense by breaking his man off the bounce and finishing at the rim, stretch the floor ,athletic and moves well off the ball along with understanding how to utilize curls/screens. He also defend.”

6. Down 18 with 5:30 Left, NY Starters Launch Furious Comeback

Then Norm Powell put the Knicks on the ropes — driving past Clarkson for a bucket then next time down hitting a 3 to put Miami up 18 with 6 minutes left at 105-87.

7. Knicks Pull within 5 with 1:34 Left But Fall Short

The Knicks did not give in. Instead, the starters launched a furious comeback — starting with KAT — who was 0-6 from 3 — finally hitting a trey with 5:45 left to pull NY within 15.

Brunson then got serious — with a drive and a 3 — Hart scored a bucket inside, and KAT hit another 3 and Brunson hit a drive and NY was down 110-105 with 1:32 left.

But Andrew Wiggins hit a 3, and the Knicks got some bad calls in the final minute:

  • Josh Hart was called for an offensive foul off the ball when it looked like his arm was grabbed and pulled.
  • Brunson then missed a drive — hammered by Miami it looked like a foul.

Thibs would have been SCREAMING at the refs but Brown sat on the bench arms folded.

Bam Adebayo dunked inside and that was the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401809963

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