NEW YORK — Mikal Bridges delivered an impressive performance by scoring 28 points as the New York Knicks triumphed over the Miami Heat in a 116-95 victory on Monday night. The defeat extended Miami’s losing streak to eight games, marking the first such streak during coach Erik Spoelstra’s tenure.
Karl-Anthony Towns contributed with 23 points for the Knicks. Despite falling behind 12-0 early in the game, Towns sparked a turnaround by scoring 15 consecutive points in the second quarter. This win secured a season sweep of the Heat, a feat the Knicks hadn’t achieved since the 1992-93 season, as they took all three encounters.
The game experienced an unusual delay during the third quarter when actor and comedian Tracy Morgan, who was sitting courtside, vomited, necessitating a court cleanup. The Knicks capitalized on the interruption, outpacing the Heat 24-6 and heading into the fourth quarter with an 88-64 lead.
Duncan Robinson emerged as the top scorer for the Heat, contributing 22 points. Miami, currently holding a record of 29-39, has frequently seen games slip away after holding double-digit leads—something they suffered for the 18th time this season. Before this eight-game skid, their longest losing streak was back in March 2008, during Pat Riley’s last season as coach before Spoelstra took charge.
Takeaways:
Heat: Miami seems prone to losing its advantage, particularly evident against the Knicks this season. The Heat experienced a lead of at least 13 points in each match, yet still ended up losing all three.
Knicks: Despite a sluggish start following a grueling five-game West Coast trip, the tandem of Towns, Bridges, and Josh Hart injected fresh energy into the team, compensating for the absence of injured All-Star Jalen Brunson.
Key moment:
Miami led 31-18 at the beginning of the second quarter, but the momentum shifted when Towns scored 15 uninterrupted points, with a sequence including three 3-pointers and two dunks, pushing the Knicks ahead to lead the game at 33-31.
Key stat:
Josh Hart racked up 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, matching Hall of Fame guard Walt Frazier’s record of eight triple-doubles achieved in the 1968-69 season for the Knicks. Hart’s 14 career triple-doubles with the team rank him fourth in franchise history.
Up next:
The Heat are set to host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, kicking off a five-game home stand that will see the much-anticipated return of Jimmy Butler to Miami on March 25. Meanwhile, the Knicks will travel to face the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
