Knicks Brunson overcame ‘horrific’ start vs. Heat
NBA Analytics NetworkThe New York Knicks found themselves in a difficult position in their final NBA playoff gam…
The New York Knicks found themselves in a difficult position in their final NBA playoff game on Tuesday night. Not only were they lost 1–0 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat after losing on Sunday afternoon, they are also up against when it comes to injuries.
All-Star Julius Randle missed Game 1 after re-injuring his ankle in Game 5 of their first round game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jalen Brunson also landed on the injury report prior to Game 2 against the Heat with an ankle injury.
Both players were able to get ready for Game 2, but things didn’t look good again in the beginning. For a second straight game, the Heat challenged the Knicks to take jumpers and they failed to bat. To make matters worse, Miami also played without Jimmy Butler, who injured his ankle with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter of Game 1.
Leading the battle bus was Brunson, who went 0-for-7 on 3 pointers in Game 1 and went 1-for-6 to start Game 2. But eventually something clicked for him and he was able to get his game on track. .
“Honestly, I wasn’t starting to feel sorry for myself,” Brunson said. “I said, ‘I’m here and let’s go hoop.’ That’s it, actually.”
“I just had to find a way to be mentally strong,” Brunson explained. “Go there and do it.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks & Miami Heat Updates
Brunson eventually caught fire, which helped get the Knicks back on track. New York was able to tie the series 1–1 behind a game-high 30 points from Brunson. After the brutal start, he finished the game on a 9-for-13 stretch, going 6-for-10 overall from 3-point range
“That’s who he is, great leader, great toughness,” So said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. ‘He never disappoints you. Sometimes we can fall short, but he can’t stop. Never stops a play. So I can’t say enough about that.”
Brunson was far from the other player to feature in Game 2. RJ Barrett had another strong game and carried the load early on with Brunson and Randle struggling to get going. He finished the game with 24 points, three rebounds and two assists as the change in his shooting form during the Cavaliers series paid off.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks & Miami Heat Updates
Randle also deserves credit for how well he played. He is clearly not 100 percent, lacks his normal explosiveness and bursts when driving to the basket. Both players also received praise from Thibodeau.
“I thought Julius took it out, played tough. I thought Jalen was fantastic,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. “RJ big, big game start for us, so we got some guys to step up and get it done.”
Taking it out is correct. Randle ended up playing 38 minutes in the game, his first appearance since Game 5 on April 26. He scored 25 points to go along with 12 rebounds and eight assists, completing a feat that has become commonplace over the past season.
“It doesn’t really matter, to be honest,” Randle said. “I do what I have to do to make myself available to play. And just take it one day at a time.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks & Miami Heat Updates
Everyone now gets a few days of rest and both teams need that. A scheduling quirk has four days between games, as Game 3 isn’t until Saturday afternoon in Miami. The extra days off will definitely help, as we could see Butler return to court while Randle and Brunson are also cured of their ailments.
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