The New York Knicks beat the Miami Heat 111-105 in Game 2. New York now splits the series 1-1 as they head down to South Beach.
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The New York Knicks tied their series against the Miami Heat, winning game two 111 to 105 victory. The Knicks bounced back from their poor shooting in game 1 with 40 percent shooting from three. However, the Heat answered with a three-point barrage of their own, taking the lead into the second half and fighting on the glass early.
The game felt like a dogfight, with both teams exchanging clutch baskets like haymakers in a prize fight. But the Knicks had Jalen Brunson to lean on, while the Heat was missing Jimmy Butler. New York took advantage of Miami missing its leader, wearing the Heat down and outworking them to take the fourth quarter and the game.
Brunson wasn’t the only player to step up in a big way. Other players rose to the occasion with big plays throughout the night. Let’s look at each performance.
Stars shine for the Knicks’ starting line-up
Jalen Brunson: 30 PTS (10/19 FG, 6/10 3PT, 4/4 FT), 2 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 39 mins
Believe it or not, Jalen Brunson started slow. He spent the first half scrapping for looks and struggling to create. But this is Jalen Brunson, so it was only a matter of time before he found his offense. New York’s leader poured 23 points in the second half, including three-pointers in bunches.
Brunson’s ankle hindered his lateral movement as the game wore on. As a result, Brunson became an easy target for the Heat’s ball-handlers. The likes of Caleb Martin and Max Strus beat New York’s point guard off the bounce and scored bunnies at the rim.
But when the game hit clutch time, Brunson stepped up. He fought through any pain, and the defense held on. Meanwhile, his offense never relented, leading New York to seal the victory. Brunson gets a 3.5 out of 5 for an outstanding performance.
Josh Hart: 14 PTS (4/11 FG, 2/4 3PT, 4/7 FT), 9 AST, 11 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 32 mins
Josh Hart energized the Garden with big baskets throughout the night. He hit a coast-to-coast layup early to spark the crowd and ended the night with a baseline three and some free throws. Hart didn’t pour in points like New York’s top three, but his scoring fit seamlessly with them.
Hart did everything else at a high level. He came up with huge rebounds throughout the action and tipped the ball to teammates whenever he couldn’t grab it for himself. His playmaking also made a difference, as he consistently attacked the weak side and made extra passes after breaking down the defense. Usually, I’m not too fond of jump passes, but Hart makes them work.
New York’s energizer came within one assist of a triple-double. He hustled his way to that production while providing quality defense. Hart’s consistent pressure on Miami earns him a 4 out of 5.
RJ Barrett: 24 PTS (8/17 FG, 5/9 3PT, 3/5 FT), 3 AST, 3 REB, 3 TO in 38 mins
RJ Barrett understood the assignment. The Heat left New York’s wings open for the second game in a row, but Barrett punished Miami this time. Broadway Barrett’s 5 three-pointers are the most he’s made in 6 months. While the rest of the Knicks started slow, RJ kept them competitive.
Barrett’s results off the dribble were mixed. He found his spots at the rim but didn’t finish consistently. Miami’s physical approach kept the youngest starter from efficiency inside, but he drew fouls to compensate for the misses. Barrett made nice passes along the way but threw a few off-target while trying to do too much.
Barrett sat for most of the fourth quarter as Tom Thibodeau opted for defense first. It’s hard to blame Thibodeau, considering the way things worked out. RJ still played 38 quality minutes worth a 3.5 out of 5 for impact.
Julius Randle: 25 PTS (8/18 FG, 3/9 3PT, 6/6 FT), 8 AST, 12 REB, 3 TO in 38 mins
The return of Julius Randle included an electric second quarter. The Knicks’ second unit had slipped, and the Heat threatened to run away with momentum. Randle returned to the game and knocked down crucial threes with a big drive and finish. He didn’t match that quality in the other three quarters but made consistent contributions.
Randle’s scoring hit bumps along the way, but his playmaking and rebounding never slipped. He consistently made the right pass out of double teams. Look at the Josh Hart three in the clip above for an example of Randle’s passing. He made reads like that every chance.
While Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein will get most of the love for their work on the glass, Randle played a big part too. When Hart missed a baseline three and putback attempt with a minute to go, New York’s All-Star grabbed the next board and earned free throws. Randle played a fantastic game, despite defensive lapses. He deserves a 4 out of 5 for a stellar return.
Mitchell Robinson: 6 PTS (2/3 FG, 2/6 FT), 5 REB in 21 mins
Mitchell Robinson picked up two early fouls on Bam Adebayo. The foul trouble cut his minutes, hurt his rhythm, and limited his ability to protect the rim. The shot blocker had brief runs of success but couldn’t dodge the foul bug.
Mitch never found his flow. Every time he started to build momentum, a whistle cut his time short. Then when the Blockness Monster finally found extra minutes, the Heat began targeting him for fouls. That chased Robinson back to the bench, though he earned a 2 out of 5 in the minutes he got.
Defense carries New York’s second unit
Immanuel Quickley: 6 PTS (3/7 FG, 0/4 3PT), 1 REB, 2 TO in 9 mins
Immanuel Quickley looked out of sorts for stretches of the action. He took a few ill-advised shots from three and generally forced the issue. Then again, he came up with some lovely baskets in the second half.
IQ’s defense kept his contributions from being a total bust. Nevertheless, he made a series of bad decisions that got his minutes trimmed below 10.
Quentin Grimes: 3 PTS (1/3 FG, 0/2 3PT, 1/1 FT), 3 REB, 1 BLK in 25 mins
Quentin Grimes didn’t show much rhythm on offense. He missed good looks from three and passed up a few after the misses. The sophomore also hesitated to step past closeouts, which kept him from taking the baseline even against defenders like Duncan Robinson. But he made a big and-one drive in the fourth quarter.
Grimes’ defense outpaced his offense by far. When New York needed stops in the fourth, Tom Thibodeau paired Grimes and Hart on the wings. The results were stifling. That defense alone is worth a 2.5 out of 5 for Grimes.
Obi Toppin: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/2 3PT), 1 REB in 10 mins
Obi Toppin’s only shot attempts came off rushed releases on bad catches. Consequently, those shots were airballs. The high flyer never got to attack in transition or near the rim. He never got much going offensively, and he misstepped a few times on defense. Obi’s struggles and Randle’s success meant Toppin didn’t play much.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 3 PTS (1/2 FG, 1/1 FT), 1 AST, 9 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 26 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein provided energy and defense in place of Mitchell Robinson. I-Hart didn’t have to score much to have an outsized impact. His physicality frustrated the Heat, who struggled to beat him at the rim and repeatedly fouled him on the offensive glass in the fourth quarter. Big Hart won battles on the boards all night.
Hartenstein energized the team and Garden. He stepped up big while Mitchell Robinson struggled with foul trouble. The Knicks don’t win without I-Hart’s work. The big man gets a 3 out of 5.
Tom Thibodeau gets it done without much change
Tom Thibodeau didn’t change much, but his shotmakers showed up this time. The Knicks made their open shots, and it helped them edge out a close game. That said, New York’s offense was tough to watch at times. The fact that they closed strong gives me hope that they’ve found some holes to exploit, but Erik Spoelstra quickly addresses flaws.
Thibodeau’s most significant move was shifting to defensive wings in the fourth. Hart and Grimes keyed some stops and made contributions for the offense. That meant RJ Barrett would sit despite having a solid night, but it was the right decision. Thibs gets a 3 out of 5 for the game, but he’ll need to be even better when Jimmy Butler returns.
Closing Thoughts
I know what you’re thinking: The Knicks barely survived the Heat without Jimmy Butler. But don’t forget that the Heat scraped by New York without Randle in game one. The playoffs are intense, and wins don’t come easy, regardless of the circumstances.
What matters is that New York evened the series. They’re heading to Miami with momentum and a chance to reclaim home-court advantage with one win. In addition, the long break until game three means players can recover from lingering ankle and should injuries (Brunson, Grimes, and Randle in particular).
Win or lose, this series has been thrilling. Games have been dog fights, and I couldn’t ask for more exciting battles. Unfortunately, we’ve missed out on a lot of playoff basketball over the years, but this run has been sweeter as a result.
I’m headed on vacation, but I’ll be back for game four, and hopefully, we can celebrate some wins. The more Knicks playoff basketball, the better!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out CP’s interview with Legendary Broadcaster, Gus Johnson!
