The New York Knicks are gearing up for a crucial game 2 matchup with the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden tonight at 7:30, coming off a 108-101 defeat in Game 1.
Players off the court tonight will significantly impact the affair, as both teams won’t be at 100% for this Round 2 battle tonight at the Mecca. Regardless of injuries, the Knicks will need to make many adjustments for tonight to bounce back.
Injury Updates
For New York, the status of their two stars is officially good news for Game 2. All-star Julius Randle sat out Game 1 with an ankle injury he suffered in Game 5 last Wednesday in Cleveland and has just been announced as available to play tonight. Jalen Brunson was listed as questionable for Game 2 with a sore right ankle and has just been announced as available tonight. Having both these stars on the floor tonight will be a huge difference maker for the Knicks, as, at times, they looked shorthanded offensively during Sunday’s Game 1 loss.
The Heat have said their star Jimmy Butler will be out for Game 2, as he suffered a sprained ankle in Game 1. Butler has averaged 35.5 points per game and has, at times, looked superhuman for Miami in their playoff run so far. After Butler, the next leading Heat scorer in the playoffs is Bam Adebayo averaging 17.2, followed by Gabe Vincent, averaging 14.2.
Needless to say, the loss of Butler is a huge blow to Miami’s offensive prowess, which the Garden saw on Sunday.
Necessary Adjustments for New York
The Knicks will need to make many adjustments tonight to bounce back at the Garden. Jalen Brunson said in a post-game interview on Sunday he was “horrific” in Game 1, as the Heat held him to 25 points on 11-23 shooting from the field and 0-7 shooting from deep.
New York needs to see more production from their star to win.
The Knicks shot 20% from three-point range in Game 1, causing a massive problem for them offensively as they fell short despite scoring 62 points in the paint. Among other reasons, this was because the Knicks played so many non-shooters or players hesitant to put up shots, for example, Josh Hart. The Heat was able to shrink the court and stifle the Knicks’ offense on their way to the Game 1 victory. New York will need to adjust and shoot better from three, and especially not allow the Heat to shrink the court defensively like they were able to do in Game 1. With Randle back and hopefully shooting well, and with Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley likely getting more minutes tonight, the Knicks can open up their game and make adjustments.
It will be a raucous crowd at the World’s Most Famous Arena tonight as the Knicks desperately need a victory to get them right back in this best of 7 series.
Jimmy Butler is out, but regardless of that, the Knicks will need to make adjustments for tonight, shoot better, especially from deep, and come out with a new level of intensity if they want to tie up this series in front of an electric crowd at the Mecca.
Photo: New York Knicks Twitter
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