GAME RECAP: Heat collapse in the 4th, lose to Knicks 111-103

The Miami Heat are not in a good place right now. Well, for much of the game on Friday night, they were. The Heat began the 4th quarter against the New York Knicks with a 15-point lead, but it evaporated in 6 minutes and the momentum was too far gone to recover.

They lost 111-103.

The Knicks put out a lineup of Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Miles McBride that hit shot after shot against the Heat, and Miami could not match them. They scord all 38 points for the Knicks in the 4th quarter. Quickley scored 20 points in the 4th. Miami was outscored 38-15 in the 4th. It sounds crazy to type and I bet you don’t even want to read about it.

Miami fell apart and it wasn’t against superior talent. It’s been the same story over and over. The Heat relax, the opponent gets loose and plays loose, and Miami plays tight. For the majority of the fourth quarter, the Heat couldn’t even run a solid offensive play.

Jimmy Butler played a good game through three quarters, but by the time he got in to save them, he couldn’t find a rhythm. He finished by 30 points. One of Miami’s biggest problems: they gave up 18 offensive rebounds in the game.

At this point, the Heat are positioning themselves to fall out of first in the East and have a more difficult journey through the East playoffs. But it doesn’t even appear Miami can hang with anyone at this point. The Knicks went on a 19-2 run in the fourth, and that’s another massive run to manage.

I don’t even want to think about this game anymore. It was such a bipolar 4th quarter compared to how Miami played and was in control for the first three quarters.

The Heat play the Nets on Saturday night, 8:00 PM on NBATV.