MIAMI — Back-to-back Miami Heat possessions in the second quarter Monday illustrated why the New York Knicks will end this season just has they have each of the last 50 … either losing their final game of the playoffs, or watching the postseason from their couches.
First, Bam Adebayo gathered the entry pass from Caleb Martin, spun around the overmatched Josh Hart who was desperately attempting to cover the Heat big man, and slammed home the fourth of his six dunks.
The Heat then went to work on the perimeter, whipping the ball around the circle with four quick no-dribble passes before it ended up in Kyle Lowry’s hands 27-feet from the basket. Lowry’s 3 opened up a nine point Miami lead.
On a night when Adebayo channeled his inner Jimmy Butler, and Butler became a facilitator, the Heat moved to within one game of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season with a 109-101 victory over the Knicks to take a 3-1 series lead.
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The Knicks have proven they not only have no answer for Butler, but the last two games the Heat beat them in the one area they must win to have any chance in this series … the glass. Miami has been the more physical team and it has shown up on the boards.
“I think our guys have wrapped our minds around that’s what this series is; you’re going to have to make these plays in the trenches,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
“You just have to find different solutions knowing that there’s going to be big challenges. You’re just going to have to make big effort plays, you’re going to have to make the play in between. And we were able to do that.”
This was the one the Knicks needed to win. But each time Julius Randle or Jalen Brunson twisted their way into the lane for a basket, or RJ Barrett made a 3, the Heat had an answer.
And Tom Thibodeau was calling yet another timeout.
Butler was not the difference in Game 4
And this time it was not all Butler — which has to be most concerning for New York. That and the fact the Knicks were outrebounded by nine, or they shot 76.5 percent in the third quarter and were outscored by one point.
This time it was either Bam dominating the paint with one of his six dunks, not to mention 23 points and 13 rebounds. Or Max Strus (16 points) draining a 3 to deflate the Knicks. Or Lowry (15 points) turning back the clock.
“Just finding ways I could find my shots, be aggressive,” Bam said about his 5-for-5 start. “And my shots were falling today.”
And while Butler still emerged as the leading scorer with 27 points, they were quiet compared to what we’ve seen this postseason from Miami’s superstar. Butler’s 10 assists were as important, as was blocking a Quentin Grimes dunk attempt, which amped up the noise level at the Kaseya Center.
Even with the Knicks slicing the Heat lead to two points in the third quarter, Miami always appeared to be in control. New York always was one score or one stop away from threatening Miami late in the game.
That play never materialized and now the Knicks head back to Madison Square Garden for Wednesday’s Game 5 one loss from another disheartening end to the season. Something they have gotten used to for the last half century.
“We got a job to do and I think we’re very capable,” Butler said about Game 5.
Do the right thing Spike Lee
No wonder Spike Lee was shown late in the game in his baseline seat covering his head in an orange and blue Knicks towel.
He can’t help but be embarrassed by the way his beloved Knicks played in these two games in South Florida.
But that’s what happens when your team has the lead for all of 33 seconds in the two games played on its opponent’s home court.
What has made this journey more inspiring for Miami is last year that road to the conference finals started from the No. 1 seed. One year later, Miami is one game from ending up in the same spot but from the opposite end as the No. 8 seed.
“We found the value in the grind of the regular season and the grind of the struggle,” Spoelstra said. “We found the beauty of that struggle.
“There was nothing easy about the regular season. There’s nothing easy about this postseason.”
But somehow the Heat have made it look easy through the first two rounds.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Heat take 3-1 series lead against New York Knicks after 109-101 win