Knicks 112, Heat 103: There’s no place like home
Behind larger-than-life efforts from Jalen Brunson & Quentin Grimes, the New York Knicks staved off elimination in Game 5 with a 112-103 win over the Miami Heat
It’s not an exaggeration to say the Miami Heat enjoyed their Wednesday afternoon, carrying on and laughing casually, comfortable and confident ahead of Game 5, from Jimmy Butler’s pregame shootaround to Erik Spoelstra’s pregame presser. Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson and Quentin Grimes were preparing to leave it all on the floor, unwilling to accept the 2022-23 New York Knicks’ looming finale. And that they did, with the starting backcourt playing 48 out of 48 minutes, making timely play after timely play, whether on one leg or two, to keep this team alive and in the fight.
In beating the gentleman’s sweep, Brunson and Grimes helped remind fans of the overarching vibes of this season – a successful one – and simultaneously prevented its end. Jimmy Butler may have dressed for a funeral, but all he found inside the walls of Madison Square Garden was a celebration of life. The New York Knicks aren’t done just yet.
Notes
With this win, Tom Thibodeau improves to 3-7 all-time in elimination games, which shouldn’t surprise anyone, given that his grand adjustment with his back against the wall was to play his starting backcourt 96 combined minutes.
Julius Randle had the worst plus-minus in the starting lineup in the team’s biggest win of the season. He finished with 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal in 35 minutes of play. This game changed absolutely nothing for his murky offseason outlook, with the bright lights of Madison Square Garden shining on the shoulders of seemingly every one of his teammates, but not him. There is a great deal of irony here, folks. His 3-pointer before halftime did get me out of the recliner, though.
Rowan Barrett Jr. finished with 26 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one block on Jimmy Butler that rivaled a Sarah McLachlan animal shelter montage for it’s ability to tug on the heart strings. There is nothing more to say about this kid, and while I don’t know what John Starks wanted to say to him, I’ll say this: I was wrong. He is every bit the homegrown star this team needs and the Knicks fanbase deserves. All I could say watching him last night was “Good process, good process.” To say we’ve collectively come a long way is to actually undermine his growth and progress.
I’ve said it before – as recently as the my Game 4 recap – and I’ll say it again: I am continually impressed with Bam Adebayo’s effort in this series. He had another performance in Game 5 that was so much bigger than the box score will testify. 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in 38 minutes.
Brunson finished with 38 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in what can only be described as a playoff moment that will live on throughout the halls of MSG in perpetuity, and potentially contend for a spot on New York’s postseason Mount Rushmore if they end up winning this series. For all that his passing leaves to be desired, you can’t knock the point guard play of a guy who finished with seven assists to just one turnover while facing elimination.
One of my favorite storylines from this game was the Mitchell Robinson redemption arc. He finished with eight points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals, and damn near none of it mattered outside of his free-throw shooting, where he went four-of-eight at the charity stripe as Erik Spoelstra deployed the “Hack-A-Mitch” tactic – thinking shit was sweet – including one trip where he sunk both. Robinson responded postgame:
Robinson’s redemption arc was one of my favorite storylines from Game 5, but my absolute favorite was Evan Fournier calling for a Knicks victory not even 45 minutes before tip-off. This is a guy who knew he wasn’t needed. A real veteran.
Miami shot just 13-of-43 (30%) from the three-point line, which bested only their Game 3 win over New York (33%) as their worst mark all postseason. If this keeps up . . .
Josh Hart was called for his third foul with 57 seconds remaining in the first quarter. He finished the game having played just nine minutes and change. If the Knicks are making anything more of this series, they’ll need him to be present and a part of their push. I still believe he can and will be a better version of himself before all is said and done.
Brunson and Grimes are the only players to play all 48 minutes of a playoff game this season, and the first Knicks since Stephon Marbury in a Game 3 loss to the New Jersey Nets in 2003. Just let that marinate.
Players with 35 points, five or more rebounds, five or more assists and no more than one turnover in a game this postseason: Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Jalen Brunson. So, yeah. You tell me whether or not the Knicks point guard is a star. Also, I’m contractually inclined to note that Tatum is the only player of that group to not get the win, losing Game 1 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
I’d be cautiously pessimistic about Immanuel Quickley returning for Game 6 in Miami, but cautiously optimistic about him playing in a potential Game 7 in New York.
Kyle Lowry, after finishing with just one foul in Game 4, was called for five fouls in Game 5, despite no shift in his body language or style of play.
Haha, fuck that guy.
For the New York Knicks, there’s no place like home, where they’ve won four out of five games this postseason and where they would play any potential Game 7 if they can extend this series. But they’ll first have to steal one from the Miami Heat in their house, where they’re undefeated through four playoff games this season. Stranger things have happened.