The New York Knicks fall to the Miami Heat 101-108 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals because of missed three-pointers.
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The New York Knicks let home-court advantage slip in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, losing to the Miami Heat 101 to 108. The Knicks blitzed Miami out the gate, taking a double-digit lead in the first quarter before momentum gradually slipped away. The Heat dared New York to shoot, and the Knicks responded with 20 percent shooting from three and 60 percent from the free throw line. Miami adjusted to the poor shooting, closing off the paint throughout the second half.
The Knicks had every chance to take this game. They left 8 points at the charity stripe and missed a multitude of open looks from long range. But the Knicks struggled in areas where they can improve. So let’s examine the individual performances and see how the Knicks can flip the next result.
New York’s starters must shoot better to win this series
Jalen Brunson: 25 PTS (11/23 FG, 0/7 3PT, 3/4 FT), 7 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 5 TO in 40 mins
Jalen Brunson had everything going but his three-pointer in the first half. Miami couldn’t find a defender to keep him out of the paint; subsequently, Eric Spoelstra made halftime adjustments. The Heat used a healthy dose of zone defense to shade help over and keep Brunson at bay. His jumper remained invisible while his finishing inside slipped.
With no one creating space, Brunson was left to challenge a defense stacked against him. It was causing him to dribble into trouble and pick up an unusual number of turnovers. His playmaking lost its bite once Miami clamped down on his elusiveness.
I don’t expect Brunson to continue struggling from range. He missed open looks, similar to a number of teammates. I’ll trust that his scoring touch can be even better while his playmaking can improve as soon as anyone starts making their jumpers. Brunson claims a 3 out of 5 for the game, and I suspect he’ll improve from here.
Josh Hart: 10 PTS (5/12 FG, 0/4 3PT), 4 AST, 8 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 43 mins
Josh Hart played quality basketball, though Jimmy Butler gave him fits along the way. He looked strong on the glass and continually finished in transition. In addition, Hart scattered dimes along the way, making extra passes after clever cuts into the heart of the defense.
Nevertheless, Hart’s game suffered the same flaw as everyone else. He missed all of his three-pointers despite them being good looks. Once Miami clogged the paint and shut down New York’s transition attack, Hart’s offensive output vanished.
In fairness to Hart, he spent the entire game chasing around Jimmy Butler. His defense and rebounding never faltered, even after 40 minutes of burn. Nevertheless, New York needs shooting out of its wings to keep the Heat defense honest. Hart gets a 2.5 out of 5 for the night.
RJ Barrett: 26 PTS (10/20 FG, 1/5 3PT, 5/8 FT), 7 AST, 9 REB, 1 STL, 4 TO in 40 mins
RJ Barrett continued his hot streak for three and a half quarters. He was New York’s most effective player for most of the action. Barrett attacked the lane and expanded his finishing with a few floaters and a midrange pull-up jumper. But I repeat, for the third time in three-player recaps, Barrett’s three-point shooting failed him.
Broadway Barrett initially didn’t need the three-ball, thanks to his ability to snake inside and score. But his effective drives slipped in the fourth quarter as the Heat smothered him. Barrett was marred by turnovers, getting the ball snatched by Kyle Lowry and throwing another pass away. At times he faced a hobbled Jimmy Butler but failed to capitalize. When he faded, so did the Knicks’ chances.
The good news is that Barrett looks strong. He’s finishing from further out and getting to his spots whether he starts on the right or left side. Additionally, he had his best rebounding game of the postseason. But RJ still isn’t hitting threes, so it will take other players to break the Heat’s zone. Barrett gets a 3.5 out of 5 for doing everything but hitting his threes.
Obi Toppin: 18 PTS (7/15 FG, 4/11 3PT), 8 REB, 1 STL in 31 mins
Obi Toppin is the lone Knick to take advantage of Miami’s zone. Toppin shot 4/11 from three, while the rest of the team went 3/23. The speedy big also contributed his usual transition offense, beating the Heat downcourt for a couple of bunnies. And as we’ve seen in recent games, Obi’s last bucket came on a nice face-up move off the dribble, suggesting there’s more in his bag.
Toppin filled in for Julius Randle nicely on the glass, contributing 8 rebounds and a few additional box-outs to clear space. His defense wasn’t bad, but nothing to write home about. I’d have liked to see him get more time in the fourth quarter.
Speaking of time, Toppin’s rotation minutes were strange. He played long stretches at once, then sat for what felt like entire quarters. He managed to stay effective and even deserved more time but Thibodeau prioritized perimeter defense. So Obi earns a 3 out of 5 for a strong start in place of Randle.
Mitchell Robinson: 7 PTS (3/3 FG, 1/4 FT), 14 REB, 2 BLK, 2 TO in 34 mins
Mitchell Robinson played a fantastic first half. He was the same force on the glass as he’d been against Cleveland. On top of that, the big man ate off RJ Barrett drives when receiving alley-oop passes. Mitch even added an emphatic block early and patrolled the middle well.
But Robinson ran into the same problems everyone else did. Once the Heat clogged the middle, Mitch had nowhere to operate. His teammates stopped finding him, and the Heat were well-positioned to keep him off the glass.
In any case, the big man remained an effective rim-protecting presence. His defense never waned, and that’s enough to earn a 2.5 out of 5. We know that he can have an even more significant impact on the results.
The Knicks’ second unit needs more minutes
Immanuel Quickley: 9 PTS (3/9 FG, 1/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 27 mins
Immanuel Quickley was the only bench player with more than 15 minutes of action. Consequently, he struggled just like the starters. IQ’s jumper failed him; for example, his only three-pointer to fall banked in. He got to some of his spots, only to have shots come up short. At other points, Quickley pulled up early instead of driving past players he had a step on.
The Sixth Man of the Year candidate hasn’t been himself during this postseason. He hasn’t had more than 2 assists in any game, he’s shot above 30 percent from three one time, and he’s hit more than three free throws once. Of course, his defense is still tremendous, but it’s the only thing keeping his game afloat.
New York needs Quickley to get on track more than any other healthy player. Brunson and Barrett are doing their best, but Julius Randle is hurt. This is where IQ needs to step up and be the third piece of the puzzle. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened yet, and he gets a 2 out of 5 for another lackluster game.
Quentin Grimes: 4 PTS (1/3 FG, 1/3 3PT, 1/2 FT), 1 STL in 10 mins
Quentin Grimes hit a tricky three-pointer early in the game but failed to convert his next two attempts. He turned a hard foul into 1 of 2 free throws, but that was it for his offense. Grimes didn’t play long enough to show his quick first step or attack in transition.
I’m assuming Grimes only played 10 minutes out of precaution. He looked fine while he played, and New York could use his shooting threat. Hopefully, he’s good to go for 20 in the next one.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 1 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 14 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein played fine but not as effectively as Mitchell Robinson. That’s the only reason I can think of for his limited minutes. I’d have been curious to see I-Hart with long stretches to figure out the Heat zone. His passing out of space may have been a useful weapon.
Even in limited action, Hartenstein picked up a memorable block along the way. He’s been solid covering for Mitch, and in this grueling series, I’d like to see his minutes a bit higher.
Tom Thibodeau loses to halftime adjustments
I’m not sure Tom Thibodeau could do much to save this game. His shooters didn’t show up, and he can’t make free throws for his players. But there were some adjustments that I’d have liked to see in response to Spoelstra leaving so much defense in the middle.
Obi Toppin sat too long in the fourth, especially since he was the only person making threes. Furthermore, I want Thibs to find more rest for Mitch and Hart in the first three quarters, so they’re fresh in the fourth. But that’s easier said than done with Randle out and Grimes limited.
I’ll give Thibodeau a 2.5 out of 5 for now, but it’s all eyes on his response to the Heat’s zone for game 2.
Closing Thoughts
One of the outstanding traits of this Knicks’ team in the regular season was an uncanny ability never to get too down or look too far ahead. They rarely fell into extended slumps and always seemed to bounce back. They’ll need that trait more than ever because even though this was only one loss, a playoff series can change based on momentum.
We watched the Knicks carry momentum from MSG all the way to Cleveland, where they closed out their series in dominant fashion. They need to reclaim momentum before the Heat flies back to Miami. Game 2 has become a must-win, but it’s also a game I’m confident they’ll be better in.
I expect better shooting, sharper rotations, and a sense of urgency from everyone. That’s how this team has played for 87 games before the start of the east semifinals. It’s how they got here and how they can continue to move on. I’ll see you after the next one, Knicks fam!
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!
