The Miami HEAT defeated the New York Knicks 107-103 in overtime Friday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. Wayne Ellington led the way for the HEAT with 24 points.
1. Ellington Mixes It Up
Although Ellington provided a much-needed spark off the bench in the first half, his biggest contribution wouldn’t come until the fourth quarter. How so?
Well, he had this smart cut and tough finish inside with Michael Beasley expecting him to stay in the corner for the three in transition…
…followed by this superb hustle play a little later on when he hit the deck for the loose ball after James Johnson forced a miss from Beasley:
Tough.
Of course, Ellington also nailed a big three in the overtime period and led Miami with six treys on the night. In addition to his team-high 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting, he also accumulated four boards.
2. J. Rich Comes Through In The Clutch
Josh Richardson sure is a competitor, isn’t he?
While this smart post-up over the smaller Jarrett Jack early in the third quarter was Richardson’s most impressive shot of the night…
…he also hit two clutch free throws to put the HEAT up 105-103 with 25.7 seconds left in OT.
On the flip side of the ball, the former Tennessee Volunteer fared well on switches and continued to show his versatility.
When it was all said and done, Richardson tallied 18 points, three steals and two assists.
3. Dragić Does It All
From start to finish, Goran Dragić had it all going on against New York with aggressive attacks to the rim, jumpers off screens and finishes in transition.
Oh yeah, he also knocked down three 3-pointers, with none as impactful as this one at the beginning of the overtime period:
In all, Dragić totaled 19 points on 8-of-18 shooting, six boards, six assists and a team-high plus-nine rating.
Other Takeaways:
-After a little bit of a slow start, Hassan Whiteside picked up some steam in the third quarter with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting thanks to in-rhythm mid-range jumpers and some finishes inside.
Perhaps his most explosive bucket of the flurry came on this jam off a fantastic pass from Richardson:
Whiteside finished with 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Game Note:
-Justise Winslow (left knee strain) sat out. Dion Waiters (left ankle sprain), Okaro White (left foot surgery), Rodney McGruder (left tibia surgery), Derrick Walton Jr. and A.J. Hammons (Sioux Falls assignment) were inactive.
Looking Ahead:
-The HEAT will finish their homestand Sunday afternoon at 3:30 PM against the Utah Jazz. Tickets for that game can be found here.