By John Denton July 3, 2016
ORLANDO – The Miami Heat forced the New York Knicks into as many turnovers as they had points in the first 14 minutes of Sunday’s game and breezed to a 74-48 victory in second-day action of the Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League.
Making Miami’s victory even more impressive was the fact that regular-season rotational players Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow rested on Sunday and did not play.
New York (0-2) scored just 30 points in the game’s first three quarters, while turning the ball over 19 times. For the game, the Knicks shot just 34 percent from the floor, made only two of 16 3-pointers and had 27 turnovers.
As he walked off the court following the game on Sunday, New York President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson turned to the Knicks coaching staff and playfully joked, “Who’s the shooting coach?”
Miami (2-0) won all four of its quarters in Saturday’s game and it had a commanding 61-30 lead after three quarters of action on Sunday. The Heat got points from seven different players and steals from six players in the first half in building a commanding 38-21 lead. For the game, Miami turned New York’s 27 turnovers into 31 points.
“I always look at the defense and see how many points we gave up in the paint because the identity of our team is to protect the paint,” Heat summer league coach Juwan Howard said. “Secondly, I look at how many turnovers we caused.”
Juwan Howard Jr., son of the coach, had 15 points by making six of eight shots and three of four 3-point tries. Kenny Gabriel drilled three first-half 3-pointers, had four for the game and finished with 17 points, while Rodney McGruder poured in 15 points.
Howard said coaching his son is both gratifying and challenging.
“I’m always proud of him no matter what because that’s my son and I love him,” Howard said. “But as far as coaching him, yeah it’s challenging, but I coach him like I do any other player. My staff thinks I’m (harder) on him than I am on others. But I just hold him accountable. He has to do his job and hold up his end of the bargain.”
New York trailed 28-11 by the midpoint of the first quarter after it missed 13 of its first 18 shots and turned the ball over 11 times.
New York guard Ron Baker struggled with his shot most of the day, but led the Knicks with 12 points.
Miami raced to an 11-2 lead in the game’s opening minutes and led by as much as 19 points in the first half despite shooting just 40 percent. Two key differences in the first half: The Heat outscored the Knicks 15-0 from behind the 3-point arc and they converted many of New York’s 13 turnovers in the first 20 minutes into uncontested dunks.
