20 Second Timeout

New Look Knicks Rout Slumping Heat

The Miami Heat jumped out to a 19-9 first quarter lead versus the New York Knicks, but the Knicks trimmed that margin to 30-27 by the end of the first quarter en route to posting a 125-109 win. Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 32 points and dished for a game-high eight assists. Julius Randle contributed 19 points and nine rebounds before leaving the game after suffering a dislocated right shoulder while bracing his fall as he drove to the hoop with 4:27 remaining in the fourth quarter. OG Anunoby added 19 points plus four assists. The Knicks outrebounded the Heat 46-38. The Boston Celtics are the class of the Eastern Conference if not the entire NBA, but the Knicks have looked like an elite team since acquiring Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, posting a 12-3 record (including 12-2 in games when Anunoby played). The Knicks have won six games in a row, highlighted by a 122-84 victory on Thursday versus the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets.

Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 28 points, and he also had eight rebounds and four assists. Duncan Robinson scored 19 points, and Tyler Herro had 18 points. The Heat have lost six straight games, and with a 24-22 record they do not rank among the top six teams in the East; of course, last season the Heat reached the NBA Finals after only finishing with the seventh best record in the East, so we have learned not to count out the NBA's version of Rasputin.

Hubie Brown is my all-time favorite NBA analyst, and it was wonderful to hear his commentary during this game. The video of Brown and Spike Lee enjoying a conversation on court before the game is priceless, showing the former Knicks coach reminiscing with the most famous Knicks fan. Brown noted during the telecast that he has known Lee since the 1970s! 

Brown's most recent ABC or ESPN game was 10 days ago, when the Cavaliers crushed the Bucks, 135-95. There is a huge gap between Brown and most other current NBA analysts, because Brown not only has unparalleled understanding of basketball strategy but he also knows basketball history. During this game, ABC/ESPN showed a graphic indicating that Brunson is on pace to become the only Knick other than Richie Guerin to average at least 25 ppg and at least 5 apg in the same season. Brown immediately noted that Guerin began his career as a center at Iona, and then became one of the greatest Knicks of all-time before being a top notch NBA coach. Brown's love and respect for the game's pioneers is preferable to the arrogant ignorance regularly displayed by ABC/ESPN analyst J.J. Redick.

Brown is not stuck in the past, though. He is very familiar with the NBA's current players, and he loves Brunson's game. It is remarkable how Brunson has blossomed from solid role player in his first two NBA seasons to All-Star--if not All-NBA--caliber performer. Before the game, Brown said, "Brunson is so clever off of the dribble...he has multiple moves to free himself." 

In the first quarter, Knicks shot just .417 from the field while missing several shots in the paint. Butler, who often seems to coast during the regular season, was aggressive and focused in the first quarter, scoring 11 points on 4-7 field goal shooting. Brown pointed out that Butler only averages 13 field goal attempts per game, and he noted, "He's shooting 48% from the floor, 41% from three, and you can't foul him" because he is an excellent free throw shooter (.881).

As the Knicks recovered from their slow start and took control, Brown praised their ball movement, their scoring in the paint, and the strong contributions made by their bench players. Brown also liked Randle's play: "Randle has been patient. Make the extra pass, and let's free up the open guy."

Brown diagnosed the Heat's problem: although they are strong defensively (ranking seventh in the league in points allowed), they struggle to score (ranking 27th in scoring and 25th in field goal percentage). In this game, the Heat's defense was subpar, and they did not score nearly enough points to make up for that.

The Knicks led 61-51 at halftime, and then pushed that advantage to 13 points in the third quarter before the Heat rallied to tie the score at 86 on a Butler drive with 13.2 seconds remaining in the quarter. Butler missed the free throw after being fouled, Randle hit a three pointer just before the buzzer sounded, and the Knicks led the rest of the way.

Assuming that Brunson and company can hold down the fort until Randle returns--and assuming that Randle makes a full recovery without missing too many games--the Knicks could be a dangerous playoff team because of their defense, their toughness, and Brunson's timely scoring/playmaking.

Labels: Hubie Brown, Jalen Brunson, Jimmy Butler, Julius Randle, Miami Heat, New York Knicks

posted by David Friedman @ 7:15 PM

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