The Miami Heat are one victory away from the Eastern Conference Finals after their 109-101 win over the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The No. 8 seed, who defeated the No. 1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, took a 3-1 lead in the series.
Jimmy Butler played a pivotal role for Miami, scoring 27 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, dishing out 10 assists, and recording 2 blocks and 2 steals. He got off to a hot start with 9 points in the first quarter, helping Miami lead 32-31, and had 16 by halftime as the Heat edged ahead 56-48. In the third quarter, his 11 points pushed Miami’s lead to 90-81, putting them in control of the game.
The Heat repeatedly found and hit open shots, shooting 47.1% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. They made four more 3-pointers than the Knicks, hitting 13 of 39 attempts while repeatedly attacking the glass, securing 13 offensive rebounds. Bam Adebayo added 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Max Strus, starting in place of the injured Kyle Lowry, scored 16 points and recorded 6 assists. Lowry himself added 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench.
The Knicks, led by RJ Barrett’s 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, and Julius Randle’s 20 points and 9 rebounds before fouling out, will look to bounce back in Game 5 and avoid elimination, as they head home on the brink.