The New York Knicks defeat the Miami Heat in a thriller! Julius Randle hit the game-winning three-pointer to secure the victory!
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The New York Knicks held on to defeat the Miami Heat 122 to 120 in a thriller. New York controlled the first half behind a blistering start from Julius Randle. But the Heat fought back with a physicality that left Jalen Brunson and Mitchell Robinson limping for chunks of the third quarter.
Games in Miami always feel like uphill battles against the Heat and the refs. Jimmy Butler alone attempted more free throws than the Knicks, and those free throws helped the Heat close the gap. Miami turned the game into a one-possession battle for most of the final 6 minutes of the action. But Jalen Brunson made clutch plays, and Julius Randle knocked down an improbable three to hang on.
This might be the most exhilarating victory of the season. So let’s look back at New York’s eighth win in a row.
The leaders come up big for New York’s starting lineup
Jalen Brunson: 25 PTS (9/14 FG, 3/7 3PT, 4/6 FT), 8 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 35 mins
Jalen Brunson handled the Heat’s defense like another day in the office. He knocked down his three-point looks and danced in the paint for buckets. The Knicks’ leader accentuated the performance with dimes throughout the matchup. He kept finding open shooters and dunkers as Miami shaded extra defenders his way.
Brunson gave Knicks fans a collective heart attack when he left for the locker in the third quarter. But Brunson returned in the Knick of time and made big plays down the stretch. In the final 5 minutes, Brunson seemed to make every play. He left the biggest buckets for Randle in the waning minutes, but Jalen was clutch again.
New York might have avoided the nail-biter if Brunson hadn’t left for a piece of the second half. But he returned right on cue to contribute to the heroics. Let’s cross our fingers and hope his ankle’s good to go against Boston next. New York’s point guard gets a 4 out of 5 for another excellent performance.
Quentin Grimes: 3 PTS (1/5 FG, 1/5 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB in 25 mins
Quentin Grimes couldn’t find his jumper. The Heat did a good job staying close enough to throw his shots off by just enough. He never got the baseline drives going either, but that might have changed if his threes started falling.
To be fair, Grimes didn’t hurt the Knicks anywhere. He played solid defense, despite failing to cool off Tyler Herro when he switched assignments in the third quarter. He moved the ball and helped with a couple of rebounds. So, Grimes didn’t do anything terrible.
But he also didn’t do anything particularly well. As already noted, his defense was good, but he’ll need to be more productive to steal minutes from RJ, Quickley, and Hart. So Grimes earns a 2 out of 5 for a night that was just alright.
RJ Barrett: 17 PTS (8/15 FG, 0/4 3PT, 1/1 FT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 29 mins
RJ Barrett attacked an undersized matchup in Gabe Vincent early and seemed poised to produce. He finished a pair of early field goals before foul trouble got him benched. But Barrett returned with the second unit and reeled off points during New York’s second-quarter run. Unfortunately, his second-half minutes shifted, so he didn’t rock with the bench as long as usual.
Barrett’s finishing in the paint carried his offense. He didn’t get the jumper falling, but his pressure on the rim earned some fourth-quarter minutes he doesn’t usually get. I do have to call out his poor defense on Herro, however. He got caught slipping a few times with mistakes he couldn’t afford to make.
Make that four out of the last five games where RJ shot above 45 percent from the field. Playoff intensity has arrived early, thanks to the tight Eastern Conference standings, and RJ may be finding his rhythm just in time. But he’ll need to stay sharp on defense to realize his positive contributions fully. Barrett gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his work inside.
Julius Randle: 43 PTS (16/25 FG, 8/13 3PT, 3/4 FT), 3 AST, 9 REB, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 36 mins
CP said it best; apologies are in order. Julius Randle did it again, pouring in 20 points in the first quarter and 43 points in total. His jumper hit the mark even when Miami defended him well. That’s not just from long range either; his midrange jumper also stayed on point. The big man attacked an elite defender in Bam Adebayo and ate all night.
The game’s final minute is a perfect microcosm of the Julius Randle experience. First, he made an and-one midrange jumper (and knocked down the free throw) with the game tied and 56 seconds left. Then he turned the ball over with 29 seconds left, giving up the go-ahead basket in transition to Tyler Herro. Now with the game on the line and the Knicks down by one point, Randle was pressing to get a shot off and nearly lost the ball again. But as fate would have it, Randle recovered just in time to drill the game-winning three.
Randle played a superb game of basketball. I’ve focused on his scoring here, but he also grabbed a game-high 9 rebounds and threw some nice dimes. He played respectable defense along the way as well. With all of that said, Randle’s performance is an unquestionable 5 out of 5 for this spectacular game.
Mitchell Robinson: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 5 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 33 mins
Mitchell Robinson cooled off from his recent double-double performances. But that doesn’t mean he was off. The Blockness Monster chased Bam Adebayo around often, keeping him from protecting teammates when Tyler Herro drove or Jimmy Butler posted up. But Robinson kept Bam in check, holding the star below his season-average scoring.
Mitch caught a few critical boards, but his boxouts were the most important. Bam Adebayo is a 10-rebound-per-game player but only had 4 in this action. Mitch also picked up a block and 2 steals, one of which was an inbound pass in the game’s final second.
This wasn’t Robinson’s best, but his effort was solid, considering his matchup. Mitch was essential, even if his numbers mask some of his efficacy (his lone field goal came in the fourth quarter, fed by Brunson). He constantly raises New York’s ceiling, earning a 2.5 out of 5 for his impact.
The Knicks’ second unit is the Quickley show again
Immanuel Quickley: 21 PTS (7/11 FG, 5/9 3PT, 2/2 FT), 3 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 22 mins
Immanuel Quickley entered early, thanks to RJ Barrett’s foul trouble, and had a quiet start. But when the second quarter began, he hit a pair of three-pointers and never looked back. IQ continued to hit big shots for the rest of the action, including 8 points in the first 5 minutes of the fourth. Quick powered the offense until Randle and Brunson came in to close.
IQ got hit with a couple of light foul calls in the first quarter and late in the fourth. But his defense looked strong for most of the matchup, even though the refs managed to reduce his intensity. Nevertheless, that doesn’t erase his scoring, 3 assists, and energizing performance off the bench (although I’m surprised he only played 22 minutes). Quick gets a 3.5 out of 5 for scoring just under a point per minute.
Josh Hart: 5 PTS (2/3 FG, 1/3 FT), 3 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 33 mins
Josh Hart continues to have an immense impact despite the low scoring (only 2 field goals again). His rebounding made a big difference because he pushed in transition after so many defensive boards. In addition, his defense cooled Herro off after a hot first quarter; the Miami scorer only heated back up while Hart sat.
However, this game wasn’t perfect for Hart. For one, he had some bad turnovers pressing his luck in traffic. On top of that, the energy player produced a pair of steals and a block off physicality but also picked up five fouls. Lastly, he let the whistles get to him and jawed at the refs frequently in the second half.
Regardless, Hart still played starter’s minutes because his contributions were undeniable. His mistakes make sense because he plays at 100 miles per hour from the second he touches the floor. This team has taken a leap with his arrival, and he gets a 3.5 out of 5 for the win.
Obi Toppin: 2 PTS (1/5 FG, 0/3 3PT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 BLK in 12 mins
I enjoyed Obi Toppin’s first-half play. He drove the baseline for a miss but made a nice putback. Then he added a block and some nice work in transition. But Obi’s jumper refused to fall, and his second-half stint only produced one nice assist. So, he wound up with a short night.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 4 PTS (2/2 FG), 0/1 FT, 1 AST, 4 REB in 15 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein put together a decent but nondescript performance. He made a few admirable challenges at the rim and grabbed some rebounds. We saw his patented floater for a basket. But he didn’t do much that stood out.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing for a 15-minute stint. Hart spelled Mitchell Robinson effectively and helped the second unit. He earns a 2 out of 5 for his contributions.
Execution out of timeouts could be better, but Tom Thibodeau keeps winning
The Knicks played tough defense despite Miami’s 120-point night. They ran into foul trouble while matching Miami’s physicality. But the way New York kept composure despite one-sided officiating and a tight game during crunch time is a testament to the coach and the fact that his players are always prepared.
Thibs did show a flaw, though. The Knicks couldn’t even get the ball inbounds out of a timeout. That can’t happen, and it feels like execution out of timeouts is a consistent headache for New York. They have to get more out of those timeouts.
But New York beating some adversity and closing out a tough Heat team in Miami is still worth 4 out of 5 for Thibodeau’s coaching performance.
Closing Thoughts
A few months ago, the Knicks probably wouldn’t have won this game. The Heat would force the ball out of Brunson’s hands just as they did on the final possession, and the Knicks would likely fold under pressure. But this is a different team compared to a few months back. They have more poise and confidence than I’ve seen since the veteran-laden 54-win squad of 2013.
It would be easy to credit Brunson for the turnaround in clutch performance. But, while his contribution to the success is massive, we shouldn’t overlook how everyone else has stepped up. IQ’s had big fourth quarters going back to last season, Julius Randle looks much better without so much offensive burden to shoulder, and Josh Hart’s arrival added a glue piece to the closing unit.
This team is different. Look around the national broadcasts; it feels like everyone’s noticed. Most key pieces are signed through next season, the team is young, and the front office has more first picks to work with.
Next up are the Boston Celtics, who will be looking for revenge. But the Knicks are already playing with house money, having beaten them once this week. So hopefully, they apply more pressure with another win, and we can meet back here to celebrate. I’ll see you then, 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 Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Mike Breen!
