Feeling the Heat! Miami silences The Garden with a 108-101 Game 1 win as the New York Knicks manage just NINE points in the final five minutes, despite a late ankle injury to Jimmy Butler
- Jimmy Butler rolled his ankle with just over five minutes left in the ball game
- Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals is once more at NYK on Tuesday
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
New York roared first but could not sustain the Heat inside an eventually quietened Madison Square Garden Sunday in the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The road warriors in red put together a 58-point second half to put the Knicks to the sword, who could only manage 46.
Miami controlled the game down the stretch, and in truth, the second half thanks to stout defense, a litany of Knicks turnovers and 13 three-pointers.
With new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting courtside, it leaves Miami 1-0 in the best-of-seven series. Game 2 of the series is once more at The Garden, Tuesday night beginning at 7.30pm ET.
Despite a late-game ankle injury rendering him virtually immovable, Jimmy Butler led all Heat scorers with 25 points, to go with 11 rebounds.
Miami’s Jimmy Butler dropped 25 points against the Knicks defense before rolling his ankle
With over five minutes remaining in the game, Butler rolled his ankle while attempting a shot
Despite writhing in pain, the All-Star came back on the floor to knock down both free-throws
The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson dropped 25 points but could not help stop the Heat in the fourth
Aaron Rodgers sat courtside with Jets teammate and former Packer Allen Lazard Sunday
Gabe Vincent scored 20 points for the Heat, who continue to look nothing like a team that needed to win a play-in game just to get the final postseason berth in the East.
Fresh off becoming the sixth No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 – when they toppled Milwaukee in the first round – Miami continued the shocks with immense composure down the stretch, led by veteran guard Kyle Lowry — who had 18 points.
RJ Barrett scored 26 points and Jalen Brunson had 25 for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
They started strong and led most of the first half, but the Heat eventually caused the Madison Square Garden to become more docile as the game went on.
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The Knicks tore off a 22-6 run to finish the first quarter and take a 32-21 lead.
Six straight points pushed it to a 12-point advantage, and the Knicks kept the margin around double digits most of the second quarter, with the margin still 10 with under 2 minutes to play. But the Heat closed strong and cut it to 55-50 at the break.
The New York Jets quarterback was greeted by the Knicks’ most recognizable fan, Spike Lee
Comedian and former television host Trevor Noah was among several celebs in The Garden
New York Knicks greats Patrick Ewing (L) & John Starks (R) were also in attendance for Game 1
Rodgers was seated a couple of seats down from globally-renowned rapper Jack Harlow (R)
New York led 61-53 early in the third before Kevin Love converted a three-point play to trigger a 21-5 spurt by Miami.
He added a 3-pointer during it, but his biggest contribution was with his outlet passing.
Love fired three long passes for scores, with Butler’s basket on the last one capping the run and giving the Heat a 74-66 lead with five minutes left in the third.
It was a lead they never relinquished in a performance filled with the assurance of a No. 1 seed.
