![]() ![]() Randle missed six of seven shots and committed two turnovers.Īfter sitting most of the second quarter, Randle returned to the court playing with more force and decisiveness. It was an opening 12 minutes to forget for the team’s lone All-Star. Randle was sporting a good-sized bruise under his eye, the result of a first-quarter collision with Bam Adebayo. I thought he had really good balance tonight, made good reads.” RJ Barrett has found his stride for the Knicks throughout their second-round series. And then I liked the way he attacked the basket. “The first quarter was rough but he fought through it. He took a pretty big hit to start the game,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. It came two days after his eyebrow-raising quote, “maybe want it more.” He punctuated the performance with a hustle play, stripping Kyle Lowry after a Mitchell Robinson missed free throw with 17.1 seconds left and scored to ice the game. He made all five of his field-goal attempts, scored 14 points and had four assists. His second half on Wednesday was fantastic. It’s been a haywire postseason for him, interrupted by the nagging ankle injuries and inconsistent play. Brunson’s heroic night spoiled by late turnover.Knicks couldn’t survive two minutes without Brunson.Knicks battle but fall in season-ending Game 6 loss to Heat.Vaccaro: Knicks’ failure to help Brunson is why their season’s over. ![]() Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism, though, is Randle.įollow The Post’s coverage of the Knicks vs. In this series, his numbers are even better: 22.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 41.2 percent 3-point shooting. It overshadowed the continued excellence of Barrett, who is averaging 20.1 points on 45.5 percent shooting after two poor games to start the playoffs. Just being together for the minutes you’re out there.”īrunson was the story of the gritty win, pouring in 38 points along with nine rebounds and seven assists in a full 48 minutes. That’s all it comes down to, one possession at a time. Can’t really take anything for granted,” Brunson said. Jalen Brunson (l.) and Julius Randle (r.) combined for 62 points in the Knicks’ Game 6 victory. They are 4-0 at Kaseya Center in the playoffs and trailed for all of 24 seconds in the two wins over the Knicks there.īut if Brunson, Barrett and Randle can replicate their Game 5 performances, when the trio combined for 88 points on 27 of 52 shooting, made 11 3-pointers and played 122 of a possible 144 minutes, it will at least give the Knicks a puncher’s chance. The Heat have been the better team through the first five games. To send this series back to the Garden for Game 7, the Knicks will obviously need everyone at his best. It is particularly important with Immanuel Quickley (left ankle) missing the last two games and Josh Hart struggling. The trio have all scored at least 20 points in each of the last two games, and in three of the last four. The Knicks’ Big 3 is finally clicking at the same time. MIAMI - The postseason started with RJ Barrett trying to find his game and Julius Randle battling a left ankle injury.Īt the end of the first round, just as Barrett was starting to hit his stride, a mostly ineffective Randle re-injured the ankle that cost him the opening game of the second round.īut as the Knicks prepare for this do-or-die Game 6 against the Heat Friday night as a significant underdog, Barrett and Randle have elevated their games, complementing the consistently brilliant Jalen Brunson. What the Knicks can learn from the Nuggets-Heat Finals showdown Knicks shouldn’t make play for this star - as enticing as he isĪn early look at the 2023-24 NBA title odds New York took a temporary lead during his absence, with the same trio of Randle, Brunson and Barrett remaining aggressive, but there was no separation heading into winning time in the fourth quarter.Who the Knicks should move on from according to Stephen A Smith Miami's injury problems weren't done even with Butler, Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo, as Max Strus went to the locker room in the third quarter. The outside shooting of Barrett and Randle provided a bright spot, but it was easy to pick up on the apprehension coming from the crowd in the Garden. There was far less balance on the home team's side, as Knicks not named Barrett, Randle and Brunson had a grand total of seven points at the half. Caleb Martin was the only one in double figures at that point, and the balanced approach proved to be a problem for the Knicks for extended stretches. ![]() Yet they went basket-for-basket with New York throughout the first half and took a three-point lead into intermission. After all, they already stole home-court advantage regardless of the Game 2 outcome and were still on the road against a team desperate for a win. It would have been easy for the Heat to fold up and look ahead to Game 3 with Butler out. BrunsonMuse point guards with 30+ PTS in the Conference semi-finals: Jalen BrunsonWalt Frazier It's been 50 years. ![]()
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