4 Takeaways From Knicks vs. Heat Game 5

After a disgusting Game 4 where the Knicks looked like they were ready to start their summer vacations, New York saved their season with a 112-103 victory over a Miami Heat team that seemed determined to miss every wide open shot they took.

Here are the 4 biggest takeaways from Knicks Heat Game 5:

1. Jalen Brunson is him

It’s insane. My entire life watching the New York Knicks, this is my first time seeing this team with a great point guard and it makes such a difference. Jalen Brunson is one of the best players in the NBA who can completely sway the momentum of the game with his ability to simply decide his team needs a basket and instantly get that basket no matter how he is being defended.

Here’s what Brunson did in Game 5:

48 MINUTES
38 points
9 rebounds
7 assists (only 1 turnover)
12-for-22 from the field
4 3’s
10-for-12 from the free throw line

The Knicks are still in the postseason because of Jalen Brunson.

2. Quentin Grimes is astronomically better than Josh Hart

Josh Hart became an instant Knicks fan favorite when he arrived in New York at the trade deadline and the team won every basketball game he appeared in. Hart was a rebound machine who generated steals and fastbreaks with his defensive aggresiveness.

His relationship with Jalen Brunson and love from the fans even tricked Tom Thibodeau into starting Hart in the first three games of this Heat series over Quentin Grimes who had been the starter all season long.

But Josh Hart showed his true colors in Game 5 where he played only 9 minutes and was a -11. He was easily the worst player on the floor and accidentally let everyone know that he’s basically just Ben Simmons with better PR.

Hart refuses to shoot when he’s open on the perimeter so he slows the offense down or he’ll try to put the ball on the floor which almost always ends with him dribbling off his foot or a defender snatching it out of his hands. He commits the worst fouls and acts as if he’s a victim of some grand conspiracy.

You have to understand the difference between the Cavs and the Heat. The Miami Heat are veterans who know how to get to the free-throw line. So if Josh Hart comes behind Kyle Lowry and puts two hands on Lowry’s back, then Hart should know Lowry is going to dive to the ground and flop. But Hart cannot figure out how to turn down his physicality.

Meanwhile, Quentin Grimes is playing through hyperextended knees and saving the Knicks season on one leg.

Quentin Grimes is a DAWG pic.twitter.com/jjIR5Ia8hx

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 11, 2023

Quentin Grimes played 48 minutes of fearless playoff basketball. Get Josh Hart OUT of here.

3. The Heat sure look bad when they don’t make shots

Sometimes—and I know how lazy this is going to sound—but sometimes basketball games just come down to who can make jump shots and in Game 5, the Heat were incapable of making anything. Miami shot 30% from 3 thanks mostly to Kevin Love going 0-for-7 from the perimeter and bricking every single shot he took.

Now, the Knicks deserve credit for not allowing Miami to bully them on the offensive glass the way they did in Game 4 but I don’t think New York’s defense did much to cause these missed shots. The Heat just did what every road team in that their role players kind of sucked. They’ll be ready at home in Game 6 and we’ll see if the Knicks can continue to grab defensive rebounds and take advantage of missed shots.

4. Julius Randle needed this

Prior to tip-off, Julius Randle was named to his second career All-NBA team so all eyes were on him in a big elimination game following a Game 4 in which Randle seemed to take like, every single play off to catch his breath or think about what his Uber Eats order is going to be later in the night.

I feel bad for Randle sometimes. He seems to put so much pressure on his shoulders and easily crumbles under that same pressure. He looks like he hates his job and just wants the game to end so he doesn’t have to take the blame for a loss.

He gets all of the criticism because as an All-NBA forward, Randle frequently doesn’t put much of an effort in on defense. He is frequently caught out of position and pointing at his teammates as if it’s their fault for Randle being a fucking statue on defense.

But in Game 5, Randle had the effort and hit some huge shots.