The New York Knicks fell to the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal in the 2023 NBA playoffs. Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson shoulder the blame for the loss, saying he has to be better for the team to win games.
Overall, the Knicks struggled to knock down jump shots, going 7-for-34 on 3-point attempts. After dominating in the paint in the first half, the Heat were able to even things up on the interior, pulling away in the third quarter.
While the shooting was a direct result of the outcome of the game, the overarching issue was that the Knicks were playing without their best player. All-Star Julius Randle was forced to miss Game 1 after reaggravating his ankle sprain that was suffered originally on March 29th against the Heat.
Randle missed the final five games of the regular season before suiting up in Game 1 of the Knicks’ first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Randle’s performance was up and down, which was expected after being sidelined for a few weeks. But, he was finding his rhythm in Game 5 before contesting a shot attempt by Caris LeVert and spraining his ankle again.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks & Miami Heat Updates
While New York was able to hang on against Cleveland, they weren’t as fortunate against Miami. Randle’s presence was certainly missed and they are hoping that he will be back on the court as soon as possible.
Could that be in Game 2? At this point, no one is sure. Head coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t offer much of an update on the situation as he was unaware of how close Randle was to suit up for Game 1. Regardless of what happens, he will have the Knicks ready to go.
“I don’t know how close [he was to playing],” Thibodeau said after the loss. “I know he worked out before. I just trust him and the medical staff to make that decision. So plan both ways: a plan with him going and a plan if he didn’t go. So, once they make a decision, that’s it. You live with it and you gotta figure it out. We have more than enough.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks & Miami Heat Updates
Losing Game 1 certainly complicates things for the Knicks. They cannot afford to lose Game 2 and having Randle in the lineup will certainly improve their chances of winning. This series could come down to the health of two different ankles.
The Knicks are monitoring Randle, but the Heat are now also monitoring the ankle of Jimmy Butler. He was injured with just over five minutes remaining in Game 1 and while he was able to finish the game, he didn’t look great doing it. He stood in the corner on offense as a decoy and lacked any mobility.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks & Miami Heat Updates
Whichever of those two players is closest to 100 percent healthy and able to perform up to their capabilities on the court could be the determining factor in whether it is the Knicks or Heat that are able to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
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