When you sit there, and Alec Burks hits another corner three to give the Miami Heat a 19-point lead in the third, when Duncan makes yet another floater, pushing the Heat to a double-digit lead with 6:42 left in the game, or when Bam hits another jump shot finishing with 30 in the game, you expect to win. It feels like the game where the Heat finally break through– until you blink, and the lead is gone.
You are expected to blow the occasional lead every so often. It’s the NBA, teams get hot, and elite three-point shooting can give any team a chance on any given night. What’s different for the Heat is that what should be an occasional slip-up has turned into a troubling pattern. Time and time again, the Heat build double-digit leads, only to watch them evaporate.
The Miami Heat squandered another double-digit lead and a chance to pick up a statement win vs the Knicks.
The 22-point collapse against the Magic hurt, but this 19-point meltdown to the Knicks might be the most heartbreaking one all season. Miami, at halftime, was on pace to score 120 points for the third straight game. It looked like Erik Spoelstra finally figured out how to make the Heat offense click, until mediocrely scoring 43 points in the second half while allowing the Knicks to score 15 of the last 20 in regulation.
Defensively, Miami was also holding its own against Brunson and Towns, limiting the all-star starters to a combined 13 points. But in the second half and overtime, they erupted for 37. Miami was also smart with the ball, having only 4 turnovers in the first half. But by the end of the game, that number had tripled to 12, including an inexcusable backcourt violation by Tyler Herro late in the fourth quarter.
The most frustrating part? It felt like Miami was going to finally break through this season. With Washington coming to town tomorrow, a win against the Knicks would have put Miami in a prime position to get back to .500. Instead, they fall short once again, still searching for answers. Will the nightmare ever end?
Despite the loss, Miami has played better in the past week. The victory against a red-hot Pacers team and a close battle against an even better Knicks squad should give this team some optimism going forward. If Miami continues to remain competitive, they should get the 7-seed and have a chance to clinch a playoff spot on their home court. And who knows, they just might see this Knicks team again in a seven-game series