NEW YORK – For 10 days, over four games, the Miami Heat set the conditions for participation. Not only did they beat the New York Knicks but they also dismantled them. In Games 3 and 4, as they took the lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they caught up with the Knicks, turning New York’s strengths into their own and propelling them out of Miami battered.
But when they entered Game 5 here there was no sense of fait accompli. The Heat had a lot of ups and downs this year, and Madison Square Garden, not at its raucous but loud, still looms large. As did a hungry Knicks unwilling to end this dreamy season early.
The Heat fell 112-103 Wednesday night, suffering their first real disappointment of the series, though they still held a 3-2 lead as they returned to Miami. There were simply too many issues and too few solutions. None loomed larger than Jalen Bronson, the 6-foot-1 Knicks guard who tackled every Heat defensive blunder, every hesitation and half-measure, and landed a solid 38 points in 48 minutes. Bronson never sat back and never slouched, unlike Miami.
This was Heat’s undoing. They couldn’t solve Bronson as he dashed their hopes of an easy ride home with a long list of 3s, runners and steppers. Even worse, the Heat disintegrated during the middle part of the game, losing a 10-point lead after the first quarter and listening to Garden Rock as the Knicks led by 19 in the third period. They lost their fire and defensive cleats and still recovered to make the game by two points late in the fourth game.
“He will continue to attack,” said Erik Spoelstra. “He’ll keep manipulating the defence. He’s aggressive. He’s physical. But he also knows how to make mistakes. He’s smart. So he has that mix. So be it. You have to respect him as a competitor and get the job done. He was able to get the job done and make those big, important plays. We’ll make sure We can beat anything. This is the playoffs. You have to expect A games. We can beat teams when they play their A game; we can still find a way to win. But we just couldn’t do that tonight.”
It leaves the heat in a favorable, but risky place. Although they returned home, they had already missed a valuable opportunity to finish this second round of the series. They may still finish on Friday, but their margin of error is much thinner now.
There wasn’t much panic Wednesday from the heat, just a lull. They bemoaned the loss but without much emotion, aware of the roller coaster demands of the postseason.
Knicks Knicks heat spiraled into third place. It sways in its rotation, languid on the planks, and looks open. The Bronsons put them in a pinch and Julius Randle recovered from an ugly opening quarter to score 24 points. With five minutes left in that quarter, New York took a 73-54 lead and the game was in control.
RJ and Julius accomplished it for the Knicks Game 5 win 💪
Barrett: 26 points, 7 rep
Randall: 24 points, 5 rep, 5 ast, 4 3pm# I grow Presented by GooglePixel_US pic.twitter.com/OBQPBVeLiS– The NBA May 11, 2023
Then the Heat went to work, disarming the Knicks through the zone defense, watching Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry push them into contention. Spoelstra sensed opportunity and sensed urgency. He brought in Jimmy Butler to start the fourth step, a rare move, as he played 43 minutes. With 2:37 left, the score was 103-101 and the game was on.
But the big competitions are hard to sustain and Miami has hit a wall. Unable to shut down the comeback, Mitchell Robinson, who was sent to the goal line repeatedly due to his troubles there, hit 4 of 6 free throws to help freeze it. Isaiah Hartenstein hit home an error by RJ Barrett, then Barrett hit four free throws, the last of 26 points, to give the Knicks breathing room.
After the loss, Spoelstra referred to the start of the third quarter as his breaking point. The Knicks started the second quarter with an 18-2 lead in the first three minutes after scoring only 14 points in the first quarter. In the third set, they started with a 23-7 spurt.
“It was very unusual,” Spoelstra said. “I had to call twice in the first six minutes and they took it from there, but we fought back and the games are long. We can never fully get over the hump.”
It was reminiscent of Heat problems. They were picked up by 16 and shot. They missed a lot, with 11 more than the Knicks. Their second, strongest unit in the series was outclassed. Butler scored just 19 points—his lowest production in these playoffs—and Robinson, with nine of his 17 points, was his offensive crutch in the fourth. Bam Adebayo had a solid game, with 18 points and eight rebounds, but he was a bit more subdued in the second half. They weren’t as dominant on the offensive boards as they were, and the Knicks seemed to win most of the loose balls.
Bam of glass ☑️ pic.twitter.com/etmaz69ItY
– Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 11, 2023
“It wasn’t like they eliminated us in that game, but I will objectively say they hit us on the ball and were more aggressive,” Spoelstra said. Then the Heat coach added, “Usually the game rewards the aggressors. It wasn’t an avalanche in their favor, but the playoffs were tough.”
After that, the heat was mostly unaffected. They almost forced a major comeback, and even at their worst showing in the series, they still came close to finishing it off.
Even their miserable shooting turned positive. The Heat hit only 13 of their 43 3s but had several open shots that they felt justified in their selection.
Oh, yeah, said Butler. “Every time. Keep taking those shots. We’re going to make those shots. I don’t think the abuse was the problem.”
At least one game remains between these two historic rivals, if not two. The Heat retain control, but Game 5 brought the cracks.
The Knicks have already shown their hand. Bronson played the entire game, as did Quentin Grimes, who stripped Butler late in the fourth game despite a fumble. Their enthusiasm and strength has left the heat teetering at times and on the back foot. They recovered, but it was too late and not strong enough to swing.
However, the Heat left New York undefeated by the defeat. Now, a home date awaits you, and another chance to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
“There is nothing easy about qualifying,” Spoelstra said. “You have to earn everything. We expected this to be difficult.”
(Photo by Julius Randle and Pam Adebayo: Elsa/Getty Images)