Knicks return home for Game 5 focusing on 'little things' to beat Heat
Knicks guard RJ Barrett drives to the basket against Heat guard Kyle Lowry during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA second-round playoff series Saturday in Miami. Credit: AP/Wilfredo Lee
GREENBURGH — The Knicks knew what the atmosphere would be like Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, a last chance to keep their season alive with fans urging them on in a raucous atmosphere, at least as long as they did their part.
There is no more relying on fans at this point of the season. The dedication and fervor that has rocked the Garden through the postseason only goes so far and the fans certainly had reason to enter the arena with a show-me attitude, in it as long as the Knicks are.
And that’s really the root of the problems for the Knicks right now. They take the court at the Garden Wednesday night down three games to one to the Miami Heat, not outdone by a superteam, but a victim of Miami’s work ethic and experience and also their own failings.
“I think they’ve been playing very well,” RJ Barrett said after the morning shootaround Wednesday. “I think overall we probably have shot the ball better than them, actually. It comes down to those little things during the game. They make some timely plays that we have to go out there and make. The offensive rebounds killed us. We won the fourth quarter, but those rebounds they got really kept them in it.”
The Heat certainly did that in Game 3 and again Monday in Game 4, sweeping the two games in Miami to take control of the series. But it has been as much what the Knicks have not done. The Heat were the eighth seed, finishing seventh in the standings actually after a confounding season and then losing to Atlanta in the play-in game before surviving the second chance with a win over Chicago. Credit their improved play since then in beating top-seeded Milwaukee, which was without Giannis Antetokounmpo for most of the opening-round series. But also it’s clear this is no superteam.
Instead, as Julius Randle said after Monday’s loss, “Just maybe they want it more.”
While Miami has played well, the Knicks haveput themselves in this situation. The Knicks have actually shot a better field-goal percentage (43.6 to 43.2) and grabbed more rebounds per game (45.3 to 41.8). But Miami has been able to beat the Knicks at what has made them so good this season: out-hustling the opposition.
In the first four games of the series Miami had 16.3 deflections per game to 14.8 for the Knicks, seven loose balls recovered to 4.3 for the Knicks. Miami has drawn seven charges per game and the Knicks have drawn just one.
“The little things go a long way and can be a deciding factor," Jalen Brunson said. "You focus on the little things and the things like offense and getting easier buckets in transition, they come more naturally. You need to focus on the little stuff that is kind of difficult to do some times.
“It’s a credit to Miami. You have to give them credit. It’s definitely a hole you have to dig yourself out of. You can’t really focus on Games 6 and 7. You have to concentrate on the first quarter of Game 5 and move on from there and continue to get better. And continue to compete together.”
These are lessons learned, win or lose, although Tom Thibodeau has preached throughout his coaching tenure that you either win or learn, and it’s gotten late for learning.
"It's definitely different and obviously, the more you do it, the more you understand, the more you learn,” Brunson said of the Knicks gaining playoff experience. “I just think for us, it's all about how we compete, how we fight. Just got to stay resilient and stay poised. Like I said, it's a game of runs, things are going to happen that aren’t going to go your way. It’s how do you keep your composure and fight back.”
Barrett was one of the few Knicks in the rotation two years ago when they went out in the first round against Atlanta and were eliminated on their own home court. With Immanuel Quickley doubtful Wednesday and Obi Toppin a limited contributor two years ago and now, Barrett and Randle are the only players who really were a part of that season-ending home loss against the Hawks and Wednesday night’s last gasp.
So he knew that no matter how loud the fans are at the start, if you don’t play well they’ll be streaming for the exits and griping about the changes to be made.
“You’ve got to try to win,” Barrett said. “The people on the court, in here, are what got us here.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
