""We're really big on the possession game," Brown said. "This is the first time we lost it maybe all year. We lost the possession game to the Heat. Obviously, they're a good team and we're playing on their home floor. To lose the possession game can cost you, and it cost us tonight ... We know we're better than that and we will correct that."
""There were flagrant fouls, the obligatory Bam Adebayo elbow to the nose of Jalen Brunson and all of the usual accoutrements of the rivalry. But we all know the history of this rivalry, one mired in mud. Defense and aggressiveness are the trademarks. So despite the Heat entering the night as the NBA leader in pace and the Knicks at least preaching a wish to execute that style, it was always going to be what it was: a dogfight.""
Miami defeated New York 115-107 in a physical game marked by flagrant fouls and an elbow by Bam Adebayo that hit Jalen Brunson. Both teams intended to push the pace, but the rivalry's defensive physicality turned the contest into a dogfight. New York struggled offensively and lost the possession game, giving up 45 transition points and allowing Miami 31 free throws, including 15 in the third quarter. Coach Mike Brown emphasized that losing the possession battle cost the team and vowed corrections. Jalen Brunson acknowledged slowness in transition defense as a factor in the loss.
Read at Newsday
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