Jimmy Butler scores 35, Heat hold off Knicks 127-120
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 35 points, Tyler Herro scored 14 of his 22 in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat moved closer to escaping play-in tournament range by beating the New York Knicks 127-120. Herro made four 3-pointers in the fourth for the Heat, who led by 11 in the third, lost the lead briefly, then took the lead back for good with a 16-2 run midway through the final quarter. Miami (40-34) is now just percentage points behind Brooklyn (39-33) in the race for the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. New York’s Julius Randle, coming off a 57-point effort Monday against Minnesota, was held to 15. It was the 700th win for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.