The New York Knicks held off the Miami Heat’s fourth-quarter surge to avoid elimination with their 112-103 victory in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
The Heat outscored the Knicks 29-28 in the fourth quarter, but the Knicks did enough to rally from their 10-point deficit in the first quarter after finding their offense in the second and third.
They led by 19 points in this contest, and a lot of that was thanks to Jalen Brunson, who didn’t score a minute for head coach Tom Thibodeau in this must-play contest for the Knicks.
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Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat on May 10, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York, New York. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Brunson scored 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 4-of-10 three, with 10-of-12 free throws made as well. He also had nine rebounds and seven assists.
But Brunson wasn’t alone in his 48-minute marathon. Quentin Grimes was also around throughout the game, playing well on both ends of the floor with two steals and two blocks, as well as eight points, five rebounds and four assists.
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New York also saw more offensive power from Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. Randle was cold in the first quarter, but found his punches later as he shot 7-of-13, including four 3-pointers for 24 points with five rebounds and five assists.
Barrett had 26 points for the Knicks with seven rebounds and two assists.
In the fourth quarter, the Heat employed the «Hack-A-Robinson» game plan late in the fourth quarter as they intentionally put Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson on a 48.4% free throw shooter on the season. regularly, to the free throw line on purpose in hopes of missing his chances and allowing Miami to get back into the game.
Quentin Grimes #6 of the New York Knicks blocks a shot by Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during the second quarter of game five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 10 2023 in New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Instead, he wasted 4 of his 6 chances as the Heat started the intentional fouls to help keep the distance, which included one of two
Miami didn’t have a player who scored 20 or more points, as Jimmy Butler led the team with 19 points, nine of them at the free throw line.
However, Duncan Robinson was one of the main reasons the Heat closed the gap the Knicks created, going 5-of-10 from three-pointers for 15 of his 17 points off the bench. But Kyle Lowry, a player who has been excellent for Miami off the bench, struggled in this one with only three of his 11 shot attempts finding thread for nine points.
Both teams made 13 3-point attempts, but the Knicks were slightly better overall with a 49.3% field goal rate compared to the Heat’s 42%.
RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during Game 5 of Round 2 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Semifinals against the Miami Heat on May 10, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New City York, New York. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
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The Knicks will have to hold off the Heat two more times if they want to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, starting in Game 6 in Miami on Friday night.