Heat 106, Knicks 97: Scenes from rotten injury luck and overbearing Dwyane Wade love

It was probably our fault for enjoying a Knicks game, even for a few minutes. The home team made some tremendous strides in the first half Sunday against the Miami Heat, particularly on defense. The boys in orange in blue switched with passion and purpose, played the passing lanes with panache, and blocked shots en route to a 58-52 halftime lead.

(You might not have noticed the game going on at all if you were listening to the MSG broadcast, as Breen and Clyde spent pretty much the entire half talking about retiring Heater Dwyane Wade. I love Breen and Clyde, man, but they went really over-the-top tonight. This isn’t even the Heat’s final game at MSG this season!)

So the Knicks were playing well...what possible calamity could befall them? How about this...

Yep, the misadventures of Frank Ntilikina, star-crossed point guard continued Sunday, as he was laid low with a groin strain following a solid first half. Trey Burke took over point guard duties to start the third, and the Heat jumped all over New York to the tune of a 29-12 frame. The Knicks actually rallied in the fourth with a funky lineup featuring Mario Hezonja, Allonzo Trier, Damyean Dotson and Mitchell Robinson, but the veteran Heat pulled away in the final minutes.

Cheers to Hezonja and Robinson, who managed 3 steals apiece.

Matt Miranda has the recap. Feel better, Frank’s groin.