The game then entered the second quarter.
Once again, Adebayo stepped up.
He showed off a shooting touch from the perimeter that far surpassed that of an ordinary big man.
His shot selection was a little outrageous even in the small-ball era.
Adebayo went 3-for-4 from three, 5-for-5 on long twos, and 2-for-2 at the line, pouring in 21 points in the quarter and helping the Heat stretch their lead to a full 14 points by halftime.
At first glance, they really did look like they might kick the Knicks' asses.
Unfortunately, if New York were really that easy to beat, they could never have put together this season's record. Nor would the Nets have voluntarily thrown in the towel in the previous game over a few hypothetical possibilities.
In fact, Chen Xi did not even need to be the first to step up and launch the comeback.
Once the third quarter began, Derrick Rose and Paul George joined forces to lead a rally that effortlessly dealt the Heat a crushing blow.
George delivered several outstanding defensive plays in succession.
First, he stripped Herro right in front of him and finished the fast break with a vicious dunk. Then he rotated over to block Adebayo, swatting his layup attempt clean away.
He finished the quarter with 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals, while forcing the Heat into three turnovers and two fouls.
George made eye-catching contributions on both ends of the floor.
Meanwhile, the player who truly carried the Knicks' offense in that quarter was not Chen, but Rose.
In tonight's third quarter, the Windy City Rose bloomed on the East Coast once more.
Derrick Rose opened up the game for his team with his incisive drives, signature crossovers, and accurate perimeter shooting.
He shot 7-for-9 from