MIAMI – Mike Brown has often emphasized that the Knicks’ defense is ahead of their offense. Sunday’s 115-107 defeat reinforced that statement, but not in the way fans might have hoped. The defense wasn’t great, but the offense was downright anemic, barely existing outside of Jalen Brunson.
The game was essentially lost at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth when Brunson went to the bench. The Heat then launched an 11-0 run, and the Knicks went 4½ minutes without scoring. By the time Brunson returned with nine minutes left in the game, he was cold, and the Knicks were already in trouble. Although there was a brief rally in the final minutes that cut the deficit to single digits, it was too little, too late. Andrew Wiggins sealed the win for Miami with a dagger three-pointer at 1:20 remaining.
This marked the first road game of the Brown era — and also its first loss.
The Knicks struggled offensively, shooting just 38.8 percent from the field and a dismal 27.8 percent from beyond the arc. Brunson led the team with 37 points but needed 26 shots to reach that total. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns struggled, scoring just 15 points in 31 minutes. He missed six of his eight three-point attempts.
Josh Hart again showed a lack of confidence in his shot, attempting only five field goals in 22 minutes while badly missing on his threes.
On the other side, Norm Powell led the Heat (2-1) with 29 points.
Brown had declared in the preseason that he would give up on games early during garbage time — but that never happened Sunday. The Knicks trailed by as many as 18 points midway through the fourth quarter, yet they hung around long enough for the coach to maintain a grip on hope.
The Knicks dealt with some roster challenges as well. Miles McBride was unavailable for personal reasons; a league source revealed he missed the game due to a death in the family. In his absence, Ariel Hukporti rejoined the starting lineup to provide a taller frontcourt presence. However, Hukporti was largely a nonfactor, managing just 10 scoreless minutes.
McBride’s absence was felt as the Knicks’ reserves struggled mightily, combining for just 21 points and ending the third quarter with a dud.
To make matters worse, the Knicks were operating on very little sleep Sunday. League sources reported that the team arrived in Miami around 2 a.m., several hours later than scheduled. The delay stemmed from a medical emergency involving a member of the flight crew, which occurred before the plane took off from Westchester.
All factors combined for a tough start on the road as the Knicks look to find their footing under Mike Brown.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/26/sports/knicks-anemic-offense-hands-them-first-loss-of-the-season-to-heat/