Heat hold off Knicks in Game 4, need one win to reach Eastern Conference Finals

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Jimmy Butler had 27 points and 10 assists, Bam Adebayo finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds and the Miami Heat moved a win away from their third trip to the Eastern Conference finals in the last four years by topping the New York Knicks 109-101 on Monday night.

Max Strus scored 16 points, Kyle Lowry added 15 and Caleb Martin had 10 for the Heat. Miami, the No. 8 seed, leads the East semifinal series 3-1, with Game 5 — and the first potential clincher — awaiting in New York on Wednesday night.

Jalen Brunson finished with 32 points and 11 assists for fifth-seeded New York, while RJ Barrett had 24 points and Julius Randle scored 20 for the Knicks before fouling out with about three minutes left.

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Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks drives against Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during game four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Kaseya Center on May 08, 2023 in Miami, Florida.  (Eric Espada/Getty Images)

Miami missed 12 of its first 15 shots of the fourth quarter, but the Knicks didn't take full advantage — trimming only three points off the Heat lead in that span. It was nine entering the fourth, and a pair of free throws by Brunson with 4:40 left got New York within 99-93.

But a slam by Martin breathed some life into an antsy building, and the roars got a bit louder about a minute later. With the Knicks down seven, Randle went into the lane — but Strus beat him to the spot, drawing contact that became the New York star's sixth foul with 3:08 left, and the Heat held control the rest of the way.

The Knicks never led in Game 3, then held the lead twice in Game 4.

Barely