The Miami Heat was stunned by the New York Knicks on Friday, winning 100-98 after rallying from a 21-point hole. Jalen Brunson said that the team’s success was ignited by a fan’s criticism.

When asked what sparked the rally, Brunson responded, “Honestly, a fan looked at me in my eye over here and said ‘this is embarrassing,’ so i’ll say him,” during his on-court interview.

The gap between New York and the other team reached at 21 late in the third quarter and 19 early in the fourth. The majority of Brunson’s work was done in the midrange, which is normally his office but has really laboured for him this year. Brunson, who has been on fire for the previous few weeks, made nine of his twelve two-pointers to end with a team-high 24 points.

Off the bench, Immanuel Quickley scored twenty points, and this season’s standout player, RJ Barrett, contributed eighteen more. In the fourth quarter, Barrett, Quickley, and Brunson all scored three points apiece. Miami has three in all.

“I come upon them daily. They do excellent work. They have faith in one another. They are combatants. When speaking of his team, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said, “They’re not going to go away easily.” Thus, things occasionally work out for us, but you never know when they might not. At the beginning of the third, they really got for us, but we fought back. We retaliated. And the outcome worked out well for us.”

Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 23 points, and five players scored in double digits, including Butler, who missed what would have been a game-winning 3-pointer.

Erik Spoelstra, the coach of the Heat, commented, “I’m good with that,” about Butler’s last shot. “I enjoy the chaotic environment. That’s what we discussed doing.

“We attempted to set up far too frequently in that fourth quarter,” Spoelstra added. “We let up, which made it easier for their defence to pack and put us in late-clock scenarios. I wish we had had a couple more plays like that, where we got the ball into Jimmy’s hands in four or five seconds, or at a much faster tempo, for that matter. That’s our kryptonite, the moment we start using our offence in the fourth quarter.”

It was an In-Season Tournament matchup, by the way. These are the consequences: The Knicks are well-positioned to claim the lone wild card place in the Eastern Conference after the victory.

New York currently trails the Bucks 3-0 and is in second place in Group B with a 2-1 record. They have one more group stage game left, which is against Charlotte on Tuesday. Should they prevail in that match, they will hold the advantage for the wild card position, having the best point differential among non-group leaders at the moment (plus-18).

It has great significance. Regarding the additional IST incentive, Barrett remarked, “Everyone is fighting for something.” “These games in particular are now much more competitive because to the [in-season] tournament. And I’m glad to have won when I leave here.”

Julius Randle remarked, “It felt like we was fighting for the playoffs or something,” because a loss would have meant the Knicks’ elimination. “It was cool.”

Miami hosts Milwaukee on Tuesday. Miami is also 2-1 in Group B, although it loses the head-to-head match against New York. The Heat are finished if they lose. The Heat are now plus-11 in Group B play, but things may get interesting if they defeat the Bucks, depending on the final score.

Assume, then, that the Heat defeated the Bucks by ten points, bringing their point differential to twenty-one, while the Knicks defeated Charlotte by two, bringing their point differential to plus-20. Unless Boston, Cleveland, or Brooklyn—all of whom can still finish 3-1—end up with a greater point difference, Miami would receive the wild card.

Here you can find all of your IST standings, outcomes, schedules, and situations. Put on your glasses for reading. It’s a gorgeous November NBA disaster. Just the way Adam Silver had intended.