Jalen Brunson scored a season-high 47 points Sunday night for the host New York Knicks, who overcame a 10-point deficit to beat the Miami Heat 132-125.
The 47 points were the most for Brunson since he scored 55 points last Dec. 28. He also set a new high for points scored for the Knicks at home, breaking his previous mark of 44 points, set twice previously.
Mikal Bridges had 24 points while Josh Hart (13 points, 10 rebounds) posted a double-double for the Knicks, who have won seven of eight counting their NBA Cup title game victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
OG Anunoby had 18 points while Jordan Clarkson added 10 points off the bench.
Kel’el Ware scored a career-high 28 points and just finished one short of his career high with 19 rebounds for the Heat, who have lost seven of eight. Ware, who had 25 points twice prior to Sunday, had 20 rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 10.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 23 points off the bench but missed a pair of late free throws as the Heat tried mounting a comeback. Starters Norman Powell (22 points), Bam Adebayo (14 points) and Davion Mitchell (13 points) also got into double figures.
The Heat led by as many as 10 points in the first half before Brunson and Bridges combined to score the first 16 points in a 21-7 run that ended the second quarter and put the Knicks ahead 66-62.
The Knicks maintained a lead of between one and nine points in the third, which they ended with a 105-99 advantage. New York opened a pair of 11-point leads in the fourth before the Heat went on a 12-3 run and pulled within 120-118 on Jaquez Jr.’s free throws with 3:12 left.
Hart answered with a layup and Powell missed a shot before Bridges sank a corner 3-pointer to extend the lead to 125-118 with 2:15 remaining. Jaquez missed two free throws on the next possession and Brunson iced the win by sinking three free throws after Powell was whistled for a flagrant foul as Brunson hoisted a 3-pointer.
