The New York Knicks bounced back with a 112-103 win against the Miami Heat. The Knicks’ starters played exceptional minutes in this victory.
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The New York Knicks staved off elimination with a Game 5 victory against the Miami Heat 112 to 103. The Knicks struggled as Miami stormed out early, looking to put the series away. New York scored just 14 points in the first quarter, with players accumulating foul trouble, turnovers, and a black eye along the way. But New York wouldn’t give up so easily in front of the Garden faithful.
The Knicks stormed out of the second quarter, picking up their pace and knocking down jumpers. They gained the lead before halftime and carried that momentum into a successful third quarter. But Miami never let the game get too far out of reach, employing strategies from zone defenses to hack-a-Mitch to throw off the Knicks. Nevertheless, the Knicks would not be denied as they held on for the win.
The Knicks took back momentum they never seemed to find in Miami. Now they’ll head back to South Beach with a chance to tie the series and force a Game 7. But, let’s explore how New York fought back.
The Knicks’ starters barely rest and come up big
Jalen Brunson: 38 PTS (12/22 FG, 4/10 3PT, 10/12 FT), 7 AST, 9 REB, 1 TO in 48 mins
Jalen Brunson put together one of the greatest playoff performances in the Knicks’ history. He never sat or showed signs of fatigue. The Knicks’ leader refused to be eliminated, as he hit big shots every time Miami began to look comfortable.
Brunson shattered Miami’s defense, making threes when they held back and flying past defenders who pressed him. If the Heat defended him well, he used his craft and guile to draw contact and reach the line. Unfortunately, the refs missed a few and-ones and goaltends against Brunson, or we’d be discussing a 40-point game.
While I’ve lingered on scoring, Brunson also whipped beautiful passes around and helped tremendously with rebounding. His only flaw was wandering too far into the paint to help defend and box out, which left open shooters on the weak side. That especially hurt when he closed out on 6’7″ Duncan Robinson, who could see right over him.
Defensive mishaps can’t erase Brunson’s incredible contributions or his relentless attack. The Knicks’ superstar earns a 5 out of 5 for keeping the team alive.
Quentin Grimes: 8 PTS (3/8 FG, 2/6 3PT), 5 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 4 TO in 48 mins
Brunson wasn’t the only player to never rest. Quentin Grimes’ spacing and defense proved too crucial for him to sit. He started the game by firing three-pointers, and while they all didn’t fall, they had the gravity to keep defenders close. Look at New York’s big three and their efficiency in this game; that was aided by the space Grimes’ shooting threat provided.
But the shooting was a small aspect of Grimes’ contribution. He attacked off the dribble with more aggression, leading to plenty of assists and a few bad turnovers (the turnovers are a necessary evil to keep pressure on).
Then there’s defense. With Josh Hart in foul trouble, Grimes’ defense became crucial. He played tough defense on Jimmy Butler throughout the game and held Kyle Lowry at bay when Jimmy sat.
With two minutes left in the game, Grimes seemed hurt by a Bam Adebayo moving screen that wasn’t called. He stood up and limped while defending Jimmy Butler in isolation, but he STILL managed to steal the ball. The play felt like a callback to the toughness of Knicks’ greats, particularly The Captain. Grimes gets a 4 out of 5 for a gutsy performance.
RJ Barrett: 26 PTS (8/17 FG, 3/8 3PT, 7/8 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 38 mins
The ascent of RJ Barrett continued as he made winning plays throughout the game. He continues to attack the rim with fervor, and now he’s added confident shooting from three. That combination has helped his decision-making, as he shoots when left open or attacks undersized mismatches for more efficiency than we’ve seen throughout his career.
My favorite moment from Barrett was an assist. He started the sequence by baiting Kyle Lowry into an offensive foul, Lowry’s fifth. In the ensuing action, Barrett received the ball and drew a double-team before splitting the defense with a bounce pass to Mitchell Robinson for a dunk. RJ’s two assists relied on drawing the opponents and feeding the big man.
Barrett’s still got room to grow. He picked up a couple of travels and threw some passes away, including an ill-advised alley-oop pass late. But his attacking has put pressure on Miami even when teammates look hesitant. This is the best Broadway Barrett we’ve seen, and he earns a 4.5 out of 5 for his outstanding performance.
Julius Randle: 24 PTS (7/13 FG, 4/7 3PT, 6/10 FT), 5 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 4 TO in 36 mins
Julius Randle started the game by taking an elbow to the face that caused a pause in the action. His eye became visibly swollen, and he looked dazed for most of the first half. But prior to that, the big man gave up a backdoor cut for the game’s first basket, and the Knicks didn’t kick into gear until his first trip to the bench.
But when Randle re-entered the game, he attacked with more aggression. He ended the half on a step back for three, giving New York a lead. Next, he took over the third quarter, pouring in 14 points on a series of made shots and drawn free throws. Considering his eye looked awful, I won’t blame him for missing a few at the line.
The big man had found a scoring touch last game, but the rest of his performance lagged. The opposite is true here, as he attacked relentlessly and often did the dirty work of boxing out instead of getting boards for himself. Randle closed the game with a hustle play, stealing the ball off a defensive rebound from Miami and dunking to put things out of reach. He gets a 4 out of 5 for turning things around.
Mitchell Robinson: 8 PTS (2/5 FG, 4/8 FT), 2 AST, 11 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 26 mins
Mitchell Robinson seemed keenly aware that Miami would hack him on any offensive rebound. Ironically, his response was to stop going straight up with the ball and instead look to pass. That kept him off the free throw line, so the Knicks could run a play and look for more efficient opportunities. But he also got the ball stripped a few times, so while Mitch was great on the glass, he had a couple of mistakes.
The Heat remained determined to take advantage of Robinson’s free throw woes. They deployed a hack-a-Shaq approach on Mitch after the 5-minute mark. Robinson hit 4/6 free throws to punish the strategy, good enough to protect the lead.
Robinson’s defensive presence feels foregone. He challenged Bam Adebayo and any other rim runners. The big man deflected some entry passes for steals and tipped a few extra rebounds to teammates. Mitch played well and grabs a 3.5 out of 5 for making his free throw attempts count.
New York’s bench finds one big contributor
Josh Hart: 2 PTS (1/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB, 2 TO in 9 mins
Josh Hart picked up three fouls in the first quarter, including a dubious flagrant foul after Jimmy Butler kicked out on a jump shot. Hart would sit for the rest of the half and never found a rhythm after. He never got under control, fouling and turning the ball over more than any positive contributions.
Hart’s struggles got him benched in just 9 minutes. He has more fouls than points in the past two games, with 4 turnovers to 1 assist. The starters can’t keep playing 48 minutes a night, so they’ll need Hart to keep his composure and get on track.
Obi Toppin: 2 PTS (1/3 FG, 0/2 3PT), 6 REB, 1 TO in 12 mins
The Knicks’ tough first quarter left the Garden crowd stunned. They seemed unusually quiet, restless even. Then Obi Toppin came on for a fast break dunk, and the pressure valve released. The dunk brought the crowd to life and sparked the Knicks’ first big run of the game.
Obi wouldn’t score after and played limited minutes because Julius Randle was balling. But Toppin still managed to grab 6 boards in just 12 minutes of action, and his dunk seemed to be the wake-up call for the team.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 4 PTS (1/1 FG, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 22 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein is the lone player to come off the bench for significant minutes. He provided a steady hand as the backup to Mitch. Play this game back and watch for the times that I-Hart closes out on three-point shooters after defensive breakdowns. The Knicks’ giant was sprinting out and changing shots.
When the Heat opted to foul Mitchell Robinson, Tom Thibodeau switched to Hartenstein for a chunk of the final five minutes. Big Hart would respond with a putback dunk and some work on the glass. He held things down and helped this team win. Hartenstein gets a 3 out of 5 for helping off the bench.
Playing starters all 48 minutes is Tom Thibodeau’s flawed solution
Tom Thibodeau didn’t make many adjustments in this game. The defensive assignments didn’t change much, which meant breakdowns in familiar places and open looks for the usual suspects. But the Heat shot closer to their regular season performances than their postseason hot streak.
Thibodeau’s most significant shift was to play Jalen Brunson and Quentin Grimes for 48 minutes. He left his floor general and floor spacer on the court for the entirety of the action.
The approach worked, but is it sustainable? The Heat shot themselves back from a 19-point deficit through the same process that has won them a series lead. Brunson is playing on a bad ankle, and Grimes missed time with a shoulder injury, then limped through the end of this game. Thibodeau is playing a risky game, but a win’s a win, so he’ll get a 2.5 out of 5 for the night.
Closing Thoughts
I fully understand many fans’ malaise and frustrations after Game 4. The Knicks were outworked and trailed for nearly the entirety of the Miami trip. But look at the difference one game can make. Fans went from teetering on giving up to hopeful that New York could find a miracle.
The trick is to take this one game at a time. Winning three games seemed daunting, but grabbing a victory in the Garden felt attainable. So now they head back to Miami, and a win would send this series to New York for Game 7.
Now we focus on Miami because as frustrating as Game 4 felt, it was never out of reach. If the Knicks could have secured a few defensive boards, they’d have had a shot to win. But this series isn’t over yet! Julius Randle kicked into gear, Jalen Brunson’s ankle looks better, and Josh Hart is bound to play better.
Friday Night will decide the fate of the Knicks, and I’m hopeful as ever. This team has overachieved every time they’re doubted, so my fingers are crossed for one more big moment. I’m even looking up ticket prices for a potential Game 7. Let’s go Knicks, beat the Heat!
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!
