About the New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat Rivalry

By Amelia Walker Senior Content Writer Updated: 26 January 2024

Amelia Walker Senior Content Writer

Amelia Walker is a Senior Content Writer at Betting.US. She has a law degree and deep knowledge of the gambling laws in the United States. Her mission is to keep players informed about responsible gambling, while her passion for sports helps her create useful guides. Amelia has over a decade of experience in betting, which has positioned her as a trusted voice among our readers.

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New York Knicks vs Miami Heat – One of The Best NBA Rivalries

• History & Previous Meetings
• New York Knicks Memorable Moments
• New York Knicks Form and Season
• Miami Heat Memorable Moments
• Miami Heat Form and Season

The New York Knicks and Miami Heat hold one of the fiercest rivalries in NBA history. Their rivalry began in the 1990s, characterized by trash-talking, physical play, and genuine dislike between players and teams. It has always been fueled by their multiple matchups in the playoffs, which often went the distance.

The Knicks-Heat rivalry showcased the NBA’s greatest stars, including Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning. Their heated rivalry transcended basketball and had a significant cultural impact. In recent years, the Heat have successfully won multiple championships, while the Knicks have had a prolonged period of rebuilding.

History & Previous Meetings

The Knicks-Heat rivalry began with their first meeting in 1989 when the Knicks edged the Heat 132-123 in a close contest.

The two rivals faced off in the NBA playoffs for four successive years from 1997 to 2000. The Knicks emerged victorious three times, and the Heat clinched just one win. In the recent past, the teams met in the 2023 NBA Playoff Conference Semifinals, where the Heat triumphed in six games.

New York Knicks Memorable Moments

In the storied rivalry, the Knicks have registered numerous memorable wins. One such memorable victory for the Knicks was their win in the 1999 Eastern Conference First Round. In a closely contested matchup, the eighth-seeded Knicks upset the top-seeded Miami Heat in the first round. Allan Houston hit a game-winning shot with 0.8 seconds remaining, sending the Knicks to the next round.

In another playoff matchup in the 2012 Eastern Conference First Round, the Knicks secured a thrilling win in Game 2. The match is remembered as the comeback for Amar’e Stoudemire from an injury to display an impressive performance and guide the Knicks to a 1-1 draw.

In 2012, the Knicks defeated the Heat in a regular-season game, courtesy of a dominant performance from Carmelo Anthony, who scored 30 points.

The Knicks defeated the defending NBA champions, the Heat, in a regular season game in 2014. Anthony, once again, proved to be pivotal as he scored 29 points to guide the Knicks to a 102-92 win.

In 2017, the arch-rivals faced off in a regular season game at the Madison Square Garden. Kristaps Porzingis was the star of the game as he scored 28 points, leading the Knicks to a 115-86 victory.

New York Knicks Form and Season

The New York Knicks are participating in their 78th NBA edition this season. They aim to continue rebuilding after clinching a playoff spot in the previous edition. The Knicks won the first round of the playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning the series in five games. Interestingly, they were eliminated from the playoffs by the Heat in six games.

This season, the Knicks were nicknamed Nova Knicks after four former members of the 2016 Villanova Wildcats national championship team joined their roster. The franchise has appeared in three matches, winning one and losing two.

Miami Heat Memorable Moments

Miami Heat have registered their fair share of memorable victories over their rivals. Some notable wins include their matchup in Game 5 of the 1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Alonzo Mourning’s game-winning shot in double overtime in this playoff game guided the Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Mourning was also pivotal in Game 5 of the 2000 Eastern Conference First Round, with 20 points, ten rebounds, and five blocks, helping the Heat advance to the next round.

LeBron James guided from the front, scoring 29 points during Game 5 of the 2012 Eastern Conference First Round against the Knicks. The Heat advanced to the NBA Finals that year.

In a regular-season game at Madison Square Garden, which took place in 2018, the Heat defeated the Knicks in overtime. It was a memorable game for Dwayne Wade as he displayed a vintage performance, scoring 25 points off the bench, including a game-winning jumper in overtime.

In a 2021 regular-season game, Jimmy Butler’s impressive performance saw him score 27 points and guide the Heat to a 115-100 victory in a closely contested matchup. Such a competitive win saw many users of NY sports betting apps being a bit discouraged rather than buzzing.

Miami Heat Form and Season

The Miami Heat are participating in their 36th NBA season this year. The Heat entered the season as the defending Eastern Conference champions and league runners-up after losing to the Denver Nuggets in five games in a bid to qualify for two consecutive final appearances for the first time since 2013.

This is the first season since 2002-03 for the franchise without the services of Udonis Haslem after he announced his retirement after 20 years of service. Earlier this season, the Heat showed signs of struggle as they won one match and lost two. That was also reflected in the odds of online sportsbooks with NBA betting.