After losing Game 1 on their home floor at Madison Square Garden, one would think the New York Knicks would have been at their very best taking on a Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat squad for Game 2.
With the Knicks favored by 10 points heading into the matchup, expectations pointed to the Knicks tying up the series with ease. That wasn’t exactly the case on Tuesday night, with a fierce competition that saw both teams battling back and forth.
At times it appeared like we were seeing a Knickerbockers squad that played down to their opponent instead of rising to the challenge. But they were simply saving their best for last, as the Knicks closed out the fourth quarter, outscoring their opponent 35-28 in the final frame. This included a 15-9 run to close out the game for a final score of 111-105, with New York emerging with the win.
The Heat had their excuse, with their best player out with an injury. But the Knicks? They didn’t have that ‘luxury.’ Two-time NBA All-Star Julius Randle was still in action, and while the Knicks big may not have been up to 100% health-wise after recently spraining his ankle, he was moving around just fine.
Ultimately we saw the Knicks’ star trio power the team to victory. It took 30 points from star point guard Jalen Brunson, 25 points from Julius Randle, and 24 points from R.J. Barrett, who started the game on fire with 16 points in the first quarter alone. Meanwhile, nobody on the Heat had more than Caleb Martin’s 22 points.
Yet, this never should have been a competition. The Knicks, with a raucous MSG crowd on hand, should have been able to lead from wire-to-wire. While they may have faced their own adversity along the way, all that matters is the Knicks came away victorious in Game 2 to even up the series.
It’s New York’s first second-round home playoff victory since 2013. Now the Knicks head back on the road to Miami, for a Game 3 matchup at the Kaseya Center on Saturday. We’ll see if Jimmy Buckets is available for the home team.