The Miami Heat have staked themselves to a 1-0 series lead over the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Heat scored a 108-101 triumph at Madison Square Garden, erasing an early deficit and hanging on for the Game 1 win.
#HEATWin Round 2 Game 1 final – Miami 108, New York 101
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 30, 2023
? Butler: 25pts, 11rebs & 4asts
? Vincent: 20pts (5 3s) & 5asts
? Lowry: 18pts (3 3s), 6asts, 5rebs & 4blks
? Adebayo: 16pts & 8rebs pic.twitter.com/fh4VRF5af3
Miami entered the contest as +3.5 underdogs and found itself in a hole early. The Knicks were up 11 after the first quarter, holding a 55-50 halftime lead against their inter-divisional foes.
The Heat came out a little flat to start the second half, turning the tides a few minutes in and going on a 21-5 run. That was enough, as the visitors fended off the Knicks the rest of the way.
Jimmy Butler led the way for the Heat, recording a double-double in the series opener. Butler dropped 25 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two steals in the contest, including 8-for-16 shooting and 9-for-11 from the charity stripe.
Likewise, Gabe Vincent was a marksman from range, draining 5 of 12 from beyond the arc en route to 20 points.
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal goes on Tuesday night. FanDuel Sportsbook opened the Heat as +6.5 road chalk.
