NEW YORK — When it comes to recessions, declines and hordes of failures, the logic of loss seems limitless.
Sometimes the three-point shot is fatal. Sometimes the opponent feels hot. Sometimes, a bad stretch can cause damage.
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It was all of the above in a 132-125 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, their seventh loss in eight games.
The Knicks couldn’t miss from beyond the arc during the long stretch, hitting 20 of 38 shots.
Jalen Brunson set the tone throughout the night as the Knicks guard scored 47 points.
For the second straight game, a tough situation at the end of the third quarter proved insurmountable, just like it was in Friday night’s loss to the Boston Celtics.
So heading back to the Cassia Center for one more game before Christmas and a 15-14 record, Tuesday night against the Toronto Raptors before both teams take a holiday break, feels like a lump of coal right now.
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While the Heat had 28 points and 20 rebounds from Kyle Ware on 5-of-7 3-point shooting, 22 points from Norman Powell and 23 points from Jamie Jaquez Jr., their support wasn’t enough.
In addition to Brunson’s 47 points, the Knicks also got 24 points from Mikal Bridges.
Temperatures for Sunday night’s game will be five degrees:
— Game flow: After the first quarter, the Heat led 37-30, and the Knicks led 66-62 at halftime.
The Knicks extended their lead to 9 points in the third quarter, the Heat narrowed the point difference to 1 point, and New York entered the fourth quarter with a 105-99 lead.
As was the case in Friday night’s loss to Boston, a rough finish to the third quarter led to continued problems in the fourth quarter, when New York took its first double-digit lead at 111-100 with 9:50 left.
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But with 3 minutes and 12 seconds left in the game, Ware’s three-pointer and Jax’s two free throws allowed the Heat to chase the score to 120-118.
Then the game reached a deadlock. With 2 minutes and 15 seconds left in the game, Bridges hit a three-pointer and the score became 125-118. Then with 1 minute and 34 seconds left in the game, Powell fouled a three-pointer and was also judged to be a flagrant foul. The game ended.
–event: Although the Knicks started smaller, with Josh Hart at power forward and Mitchell Robinson on the bench, Spoelstra stayed big and Ware started again.
It paid off quickly, as Ware scored 10 points in his first game, including 2-for-2 shooting from 3-point range in the opening game after Boston went 6-for-7 from 3-point range.
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Ware’s start was part of a game where the Heat shot 6-of-8 from 3-point range.
Ware had 14 points and nine rebounds at halftime.
It will be easier for Spoelstra to stay in shape when Tyler Herro is sidelined again with a toe contusion.
— Powell’s change of heart: In Friday night’s loss to Boston, Powell made 1 of 11 three-pointers. This time, Powell hit a three-pointer and scored as many as 22 points in the third quarter.
Powell extended his streak of scoring in double figures in 27 consecutive games to last season with the Clippers. His career high is 35 games.
— Brunson Burner: Brunson scored a high of 39 points in three quarters.
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That already ties him with teammate Karl-Anthony Towns for second against the Heat this season.
The season high heading into the night against the Heat was Zach LaVine’s 42 points in the Sacramento Kings’ victory at Cassia Center on Dec. 6.
Brunson previously scored 37 points in the Knicks’ loss to the Heat in Miami on Oct. 26, his only game against the Heat this season.
— 3D: The Heat’s three-point defense hasn’t gone away this season, it just feels that way in the last two games.
On Friday night in Boston, the Celtics made 10 of 15 3-pointers in the decisive fourth quarter to pull away.
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This time, the Knicks made 15 of 25 shots from beyond the arc midway through the third quarter.
Part of the reason remains that Ware plays defense so often. Most of it was just opponent shots.
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