Norman Powell scored 29 points and Bam Adebayo added 19 points with 13 rebounds as the Miami Heat defeated the New York Knicks 115-107 on Sunday night at Kaseya Center.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed 17 points for Miami, which improved to 2-1 and recorded the highest three-game scoring total in franchise history to start a season with 382 points. The Heat’s home opener came amid the absence of Terry Rozier, who was placed on leave by the NBA last week following his arrest in a gambling investigation.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 37 points, while Mikal Bridges added 20. New York stayed close at 82-81 after a late third-quarter three-pointer from OG Anunoby, but Miami responded with a 23-6 run that built an 18-point cushion.
Andrew Wiggins’ three-pointer with 1:32 remaining helped Miami withstand a late Knicks rally, keeping the score at 113-107 after Brunson’s basket had narrowed the lead. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 15 points and 18 rebounds for New York.
The Heat got to the free-throw line 31 times compared with 21 for the Knicks, a reversal of the teams’ early-season trend where New York had a 61-33 advantage in free-throw attempts through two games. Simone Fontecchio added 14 points off the bench for Miami.
Miami led for most of the second half after tying the game late in the third, using efficient ball movement and strong interior play to create open shots. Adebayo’s presence in the paint limited Towns’ effectiveness down the stretch.
Miami improved its record to 2-1 with the win and will host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday. The Knicks travel to Milwaukee on the same day for a matchup with the Bucks.
