Knicks beat Heat: Towns and Shamet lead, Anunoby injured

Knicks Beat Heat in a Game Marked by Injuries and Stellar Performances

The Knicks faced the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, in a game full of ups and downs. The absence of Jalen Brunson, due to a sprained ankle suffered on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, and the early exit of OG Anunoby due to a hamstring strain, generated uncertainty. However, the situation was resolved thanks to two unexpected figures: Karl-Anthony Towns and Landry Shamet. Towns led the attack with 39 points, scoring 31 in the first half. Shamet, for his part, shone with a performance of 36 points, setting a new personal record, with 30 points in the second half. This led the Knicks to a 140-132 victory in the second game of the NBA Cup group stage for both teams.

JB was absent today, so we all had to step up and contribute to our team.

Karl-Anthony Towns

The question of how the Knicks would generate offense without Brunson quickly dissipated. With Brunson out of the game, the team experienced a drop in their offensive efficiency. However, Towns and Shamet took the reins of the game. Towns was unstoppable in the first half, making 11 of 16 field goals, including 6 of 10 three-pointers, which gave the Knicks a 78-68 lead at halftime.

When he’s aggressive like that, and things flow for him from the start… good luck. Doing that opens up a lot for us.

Landry Shamet

Although Towns slowed down in the second half, Shamet took the lead, scoring 30 points on 10 of 14 shots after halftime, including 15 points in the third and fourth quarters, providing the necessary boost to make up for the absences.

Josh Hart also had an outstanding performance, achieving a triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.

It was huge, him coming out, being aggressive, hitting shots, and playing off the dribble. It was incredible for us today. That’s a big thing for us. We need him to keep that confidence and keep rolling.

Josh Hart

The concern now centers on Anunoby’s health, who left the game in the first quarter due to a hamstring injury. Anunoby was averaging 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game before the injury. The team will assess his condition on Saturday, and he is expected to undergo imaging tests to determine the severity of the injury. The absence of Brunson is also an important factor, as he is expected to be out with a Grade 1 ankle sprain. Coach Mike Brown reiterated that Brunson’s condition will be reviewed daily. However, the victory demonstrated that the Knicks can overcome injuries and continue to compete.

It’s about the next man. Who will that next man be? I don’t know. I just know that we all go out and play the right way. We have a standard that we’ve all adhered to and that we’ve all embraced. If we stay within that, good things will happen.

Mike Brown