Terry Rozier had his best game yet with the Miami Heat when it mattered most. Scoring 34 points, Rozier nailed a crucial 3-pointer with 34 seconds left, helping the Heat secure a 109-99 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night and edge closer to a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Rozier was on fire, making 10 of 15 shots from the field, including 8 of 11 from beyond the arc. His performance was vital for the Heat, especially when the Knicks launched a late 12-0 run to tie the game after Miami had led by 16.
“We stayed calm and focused on our offense strategy,” Rozier said. “And it paid off.” Jimmy Butler contributed 17 points, Bam Adebayo added 15, and Haywood Highsmith chipped in 14 for the Heat.
“This game showcased the intensity of Heat-Knicks matchups, especially on defense,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra noted. “Both teams showed their commitment to tough play.”
Donte DiVincenzo led the Knicks with 31 points, followed by Deuce McBride with 24 and Jalen Brunson with 20 points and 10 assists. Bojan Bogdanovic contributed 16 points for New York. Although the Knicks nearly staged a comeback, Rozier’s clutch play sealed the win for the Heat.
“Credit to them,” said Knicks forward Josh Hart. “They gave us an opportunity, but then they finished strong, like good teams do.”
With the win, Miami (42-33) closed in on the sixth playoff spot, just half a game behind the Indiana Pacers. Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic moved ahead of the Knicks for the fourth spot due to a tiebreaker.
The Heat maintained a 1.5-game lead over the Philadelphia 76ers for the seventh spot. Miami welcomed back Kevin Love after a month-long absence, but Tyler Herro remained sidelined.
New York had Mitchell Robinson back after his injury layoff but continued to miss O.G. Anunoby and Julius Randle due to injuries.
