The New York Knicks walked into Miami riding high after two strong wins to open the season, but that confidence didn’t last long. The Heat handed them their first loss, a 115–107 defeat that exposed some early flaws in New York’s depth. Jalen Brunson did everything in his power to keep the team in it, but the bench couldn’t hold up its end of the bargain.
Brunson was electric, scoring 37 points on 14-of-26 shooting while adding seven assists and controlling the tempo whenever he was on the floor. He sliced through Miami’s defense, found open shooters, and hit big shots when the Knicks needed life. But every time New York started to climb back, the second unit dragged them down again.
Bench collapse sinks New York
If there was one clear takeaway from Sunday’s loss, it’s that the Knicks’ bench unit has plenty to figure out. Without Miles McBride, who missed the game for personal reasons, the group looked out of rhythm and short on confidence. Guerschon Yabusele, the new free-agent addition, managed just two points with six rebounds and posted a team-worst -15 plus-minus. He looked lost defensively and hesitant offensively, struggling to match Miami’s pace.
Jordan Clarkson wasn’t much better. The veteran guard shot 2-for-11 from the field and missed all four of his three-point attempts. Tyler Kolek, getting limited minutes at backup point guard, failed to register an assist in 10 minutes and finished with a -12 plus-minus. Even Landry Shamet, expected to be a reliable perimeter threat, went 0-for-4 from deep. The numbers told the story — New York’s bench scored just a fraction of what Miami’s did, and it ultimately decided the outcome.
Off shooting night or early warning sign?
The Knicks as a whole struggled to find rhythm offensively. They shot just 38.8% from the field and a dismal 27.8% from three-point range. The spacing looked off, and Miami took full advantage by speeding up the game and attacking in transition. It wasn’t just that the Heat made more shots — they dictated pace and energy from start to finish.
After two dominant performances to start the season, it’s hard to tell if this was simply an off night or something more concerning. The starters looked cohesive and competitive, but when they needed support, it wasn’t there. That’s something Mike Brown will surely address before Tuesday’s matchup with Milwaukee.
Knicks look to regroup against the Bucks
Every team has a bad night early in the season, but for the Knicks, this one stung because of how avoidable it felt. The effort was there from Brunson and the starters, yet the lack of bench execution was glaring. Without consistent production from their reserves, New York’s margin for error shrinks dramatically.
They’ll have a quick turnaround as they prepare to face the Milwaukee Bucks, another powerhouse in the East sitting at 2–1. The challenge will be resetting mentally, rediscovering their offensive flow, and proving that Sunday’s loss was nothing more than an early-season misstep — not a sign of deeper problems.