Entering Wednesday’s matchup against the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat hold a 3-1 series lead. A win would advance them to the Eastern Conference Finals with a best of seven series deciding who breaks through to the NBA Finals.
It has been a statistical anomaly for a team to overcome a 3-1 series deficit, given that the feat has been accomplished only 13 times in NBA history. Despite the odds being in their favor, Jimmy Butler made clear that the Heat must continue to stay focused to close it out in Game 5 and he sees the team as being “very capable” of doing so.
“We’ve always got a shot to win when we’re guarding or just playing together,” Jimmy Butler said. “This is a game of runs for both sides. But if we talk through everything, we’re having fun more than anything, I think it’s going to end well for us.
“But we’ve just got to continue to play hard. We’ve damn sure got to play hard when we go up to New York. But we’ve got a job to do, and I think we’re very capable.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat & New York Knicks Updates
Managing to close out the Knicks in the series feels like an inevitability at this stage — more of a matter of when than if for the Heat. To close it out on the road at Madison Square Garden in Game 5, Miami understands that it will be a heightened challenge.
“We’ve been in a lot of fights,” Heat forward Kevin Love said. “We know who to go to when the game is close, two guys in the locker room right now [Butler and Adebayo]. If we continue to fight we feel like for 48 minutes we’re really tough team, and that’s showing.
“Now we have to move on the road in a very tough environment in Madison Square Garden for Game 5. Closeout games, our guys have been there before. … Those are the hardest games, so we’re going to have to come out and try and hit first, make that emphasis of just play as hard as we did [in Game 4].”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat & New York Knicks Updates
The Heat has shaken the Knicks’ confidence in the series, even resulting in Julius Randle admitting that perhaps Miami “wants it more” with how significantly they have been outplayed on the offensive glass in the last few games. Miami has taken pride in playing with a competitive edge.
“Competitive nature is heightened in closeout games. I’ve been in a lot, and I’ve been on the other side on both ends. I’ve been in this situation before and I know how hard they are,” Lowry said. “Just focusing on the game, you have to have your mind right. There are going to be crazy ups and downs, but if you just focus on the game plan, know what to do, have your teammates [backs] we’ll be happy.
“It’s a hard game, but we’ve got to go over there and think about finishing … stay in the game, keeping our head above water. There will be some runs and crazy fans, loud, but we’ll go over there and be focused and understand our game plan, because we want a dub.”
Grant Afseth is an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network and a Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).
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