Heat vault into 5th place with nail-biting OT win over Knicks, 107-103

The Miami Heat had the game won against their arch-rivals the New York Knicks, until Doug McDermott tied the game from the Ray Allen corner with 1.1 seconds left in regulation time. Michael Beasley gave the Knicks an early 2-point lead in overtime, but the Heat clawed and scratched their way to a messy win. Tied at 103-103 with 1:38 left, the thrilling but sloppy game, marred by 33 turnovers, 19 by the Heat, ended on a high note after an exhausting night in Miami.

The last six points by the Heat were all made from the free throw line, 4 for 4 by Josh Richardson and 2 for 2 by James Johnson, who also made a key play in overtime by blocking and stealing a Jarrett Jack pass meant for Kristaps Porzingas.

Defense wins it in the end!

This #CaptainJJ turnover led to 2 J. Rich free throws to put Miami ahead for good.

Richardson converted the free throws when Jack fouled him on the breakaway and Knicks played catch-up from there on out.

“Miami won tonight’s game at the Charity Stripe.

“HEAT went 19-of-20 from the line, including a perfect 4-4 in the final 30 seconds of OT.”

Beasley twisted his ankle after his overtime score, and tried to play but was ineffective. The Heat played awesome defense on Porzingis by fronting him and denying him good entry passes for the entire overtime period. The gritty defense allowed the Knicks only 6 points on two field goals and a couple of free throws.

The Heat lead most of game, up as much as 10 points, and headed into the fourth quarter with a four-point advantage, 75-71. McDermott tied the game at 75-75 after 51 seconds and the Knicks seized control to lead most of the last quarter, by 6 points when Beasley made a tip in to put the Knicks in front 86-80.

Richardson scored on two jumpers and Ellington tied the game at 86 on a jumper. The teams traded baskets until Richardson made a couple of free throws to put Miami ahead 97-94 with 13.2 seconds left in regulation. Courtney Lee missed a 3-point shot, Porzingis grabbed a rebound and flipped the ball out to “Dougie McBuckets” who made the clutch basket to send the game into overtime.

Ellington lead the Heat scorers with 24 points, while all the starters scored in double figures. Olynyk wound up with a double-double and an all-around solid game. The Heat attempted a team-record 42 3-pointers, and missed a team-record 30 by only making 12 of them. Ellington shot a franchise-record 16 3’s in the game, besting Brian Shaw’s 15 in 1993.

Turnovers were the main culpit in Heat not running away with the game, as Miami’s 15 TO lead to 21 points for the Knicks, 12 of which were on fast-breaks: 10 more than the Heat. The Knicks dominated in the paint, 52 points to the Heat’s 32, as Miami tried unsuccessfully to dribble their way to the rim against the elite shot blocker duo of Porzingis and Kanter.

This win was for the Heat fans, as their team fought long and hard to make sure the crowd in American American Airlines left happy. With Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks losing, and Miami in the thick of playoff race in 5th place, memories of the 30-point game deficits are fading away. Thoughts of the Heat Culture from last season are coming back to life again.