New York starts disastrously, scores only 14 points in the first quarter, and is immediately forced to chase, but then packs two partials (18-2 at the beginning of the second quarter and 23-7 in the third) to take the lead of the game. Miami is not there and in turn, places a break of 12-3 which allows Butler and his companions to return to -4 already in the first half of the last fraction, but this time the Knicks control the final and seize the important point of 2- 3 which keeps them alive in the series.
The number one protagonist of the blue-orange victory is a 38-point Jalen Brunson who shoots 12/22 from the field (with 4/10 from the arc) and collects an excellent 10/12 in the line, going not too far from the triple-double in virtue of his 9 rebounds and 7 assists with which he ends the game. Since the start of the playoffs (10 games) he has collected 265 points, the fourth-highest total for a rookie in the blue-orange jersey behind only Bernard King (310), Patrick Ewing (284), and Carmelo Anthony (279).
In addition to Brunson, however, the other two members of the Knicks’ “Big Three” are also present, with Julius Randle (freshly included in the NBA third team) who scores 24 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds with outstanding shooting percentages ( 7/13 from the field with 4/7 from three) and R.J. Barrett, who does even better at 26 with 7 rebounds and 8/17 shooting. New York for the 2nd race in a row had to do without Immanuel Quickley, injured in his right ankle.
At Miami Heat, the best is Jimmy Butler who, however, limits himself to just 12 shots (5 scored) for 19 points, to which he adds 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Bam Adebayo scores 18 with 7/11 shooting while the third-best scorer of coach Spoelstra comes off the bench and responds to the name of Duncan Robinson, who makes 5/10 from three and finishes with 17 points. However, the Heat as a team shoots only 30% from three, 13/43, with 0/7 by Kevin Love.