New York—On Saturday The Knicks kept it rolling. Jalen Brunson scored 32 points and dished out eight assists as the New York Knicks defeated Miami 125-109, securing their sixth consecutive victory while handing the Heat their sixth straight loss.

Julius Randle contributed 19 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks. However, he had to exit the game with 4:27 left after seemingly landing heavily on his shoulder when Jaime Jaquez Jr. attempted to draw a charge as Randle drove to the basket.

“You knew like for him to do that, like, he’s a guy who plays through things and that’s what we love about him,” Thibodeau said. “He’s a warrior and so any time someone walks back, you know it’s something.”

“You don’t want to see that from anybody, especially the way he’s been playing and he means a lot to us,” Brunson said about Randle. “So for him to go back there obviously it’s not ideal, but like I said, once we figure out what’s wrong we’ll go from there.”

Anunoby, with 19 points, also contributed to the Knicks’ victory, as they extended their impressive 12-2 record this month since his debut start on New Year’s Day. With Randle potentially sidelined, Anunoby might assume an expanded role moving forward.

Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 28 points, while they welcomed Jaquez back after a six-game hiatus due to a groin injury. Despite their return, the Heat struggled in the fourth quarter, being outscored 36-23. Duncan Robinson contributed 19 points, and Tyler Herro finished with 18.

Additionally, Kevin Love returned from illness, restoring the Heat to full strength. Coach Erik Spoelstra emphasized the importance of the team returning to their usual competitive form. This sentiment was underscored by their disappointing performance on Thursday, where they suffered a 143-110 defeat at home against Boston.

The Knicks held the lead at the end of the third quarter and never looked back. In the fourth quarter, the Knicks went 13 of 18 attempts (72%), capitalizing on the Heat’s five turnovers, which resulted in nine points. Final score 125 – 109.

The Knicks look to close out a motley January at Charlotte Monday evening, and then at MSG on Tuesday against the Utah Jazz. Personally, I think the Knicks finish running the table and win both games, closing out January 14-2.

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By: Vincent Quezada

Photo Credit: Peter K. Afriyie