NBA – Authoritative winners of Cleveland and Milwaukee in the first round, the Knicks and the Heat approach this semi-final with great confidence.
Without the advantage of the field in their respective series in the first round, against Cleveland (#4) and Milwaukee (#1), Knicks and Heat nevertheless validated their ticket for the second round with great ease: in five games only, for an authoritarian gentleman sweep. The New York players notably used a huge defense to extinguish the totally haggard Cavaliers, those of the Heat with a volcanic attack, obviously under the impetus of a Jimmy Butler sensational, to completely knock out the 2021 champions.
After a first round in which they easily overthrew the hierarchy of the regular season, New Yorkers and Floridians therefore find themselves for a tempting second round, marked by a duel of styles. Both clubs approach this series with enormous confidence, fueled by brilliantly built ‘momentum’ during their five first-round games. It promises sparks, intensity and a contested series.
PRESENTATION OF KNICKS
Holders: J. Brunson, Q. Grimes, RJ. Barrett, J. Randle, M. Robinson.
The replacements: I. Quickley, J. Hart, O. Toppin, I. Hartenstein, M. McBride.
The absents : Uncertainty around Julius Randle.
The coach: T. Thibodeau.
POINTS FORTS
– A concrete defense displayed in the first round. Prior to the start of the Cavaliers–Knicks series, the Knicks were instead expected to build their game around their huge offense, the third most efficient in the league at the end of the regular season (117.8 points scored on 100 possessions, per game). Finally, the opposite happened: New York completely extinguished Cleveland with an excellent defense, the most effective in the playoffs to date with 101.9 points against 100 possessions at the end of their series against Donovan Mitchell and his gang! It goes without saying that Tom Thibodeau’s men will try to apply the same formula against Miami, especially since the Heat players have the best attack in the playoffs, with an average of 124 points scored per game at the end of the first round. It’s an opposition of styles, but in the playoffs the best defense is often the best weapon. Advantage Knicks, on defense.
– Offensive rebounds, again and again. Third best team in the regular season in offensive rebound (12.6/game), New York did even better after the first round against Cleveland: 15 catches per game, the best average in the playoffs. Driven by the snowshoe monster Mitchell Robinson, leader of the playoffs as an individual with his 5.8 catches per game, the Knicks thus deprive their opponents of their defensive rebounds, and score nearly 18 points on their second chances, the third best average of the playoffs. Opposite, Miami captures only 7.4 offensive rebounds per game, the second lowest average of averages, for barely 10 scored on second chances, the third lowest average of the playoffs. The advantage for New York in this area is enormous…
WEAK POINTS
– What margin of error in attack? Indeed, if the Knicks’ defense looks great, the same cannot be said for their offense: the third lowest average in the playoffs with 99.6 points scored per game, the second worst shooting percentage (43%) and the worst percentage behind the arc (28.2%). Against Cleveland and their inability to adapt on defense, the solid level of play of Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett and the bench, as well as the dominance of the offensive rebound by Mitchell Robinson, was enough. But against the Heat, who have the best attack in the playoffs and who will be able to adapt in defense with the tactical choices of “Spo”, that might not be enough. Even if in reality, New York, despite a clearly not particularly effective attack in the first round, was not worried against the Cavaliers, and still seems to have a lot of room for improvement in attack. A margin that greatly depends on the level of Julius Randle…
PRESENTATION OF THE HEAT
Holders: G. Vincent, M. Strus, J. Butler, K. Love, B. Adebayo.
The replacements: K. Lowry, C. Martin, C. Zeller, D. Robinson.
The absents : T. Herro, V. Oladipo.
The coach:
E. Spoelstra.
POINTS FORTS
– Jimmy Butler. With the possible exception of Devin Booker, no player displays a level of play as consistent and impressive as that of the Heat winger in these playoffs. In the first round, against the best team in the league in the regular season, “Jimmy Buckets” thus delivered a series of anthology: 37.6 points (60% on shots!), 6 rebounds and 4.8 assists! Its rise to power comes at the right time for this Miami team which has come a long way, from the “play-in”, and which in the momentum of its n°22 has every reason to think that it can still continue for a few more days. weeks his career in these playoffs.
– The outside address. While it was among the most clumsy teams in the league during the regular season (34.4%, the fourth lowest average), the troupe of Miami suddenly set the sights behind the arc, since the start of the playoffs . Furiously effective in attack in the first round, the Heat players have indeed shown incredible collective skill since Game 1 against Milwaukee: 45% success! With no less than 7 players who completed the series against the Bucks with a 3-point shooting success percentage above 40%! The Knicks are warned: the warheads behind the arc will fuse, and this is clearly the key for Miami to break the lock of the very solid defense of the Knicks.
WEAK POINTS
– The wounds. The Heat lost a starter, Tyler Herroand a replacement, Victor Oladipo. The two players do not have the same importance or the same role in the device of Miami, but their absences have the same effect: the attack of the Heat finds itself more dependent on Jimmy Butler. The secondary “playmaking” and the “shotmaking” of the two backs would have been particularly valuable, against a New York defense which in these playoffs attacks the ball carrier on the “pick-and-roll” and forces him to let go of the leather , from the start of possession. Against the Bucks, the Miami club played so well that the absences of Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo were not really felt, but the counters are reset to zero with each new series. The question is therefore not whether the two fullbacks will be missed in Miami against New York – because the answer is yes – but rather to what degree and in what proportions, they will be missed in Miami.
SERIES KEYS
– The (second) return of Julius Randle. As mentioned, the Knicks’ offensive ceiling in this series could depend on No. 30: if the contribution of the Jalen BrunsonRJ Barrett, Josh Hart or Mitchell Robinson will be regular, that of “Ju” remains the unknown factor in the equation. Physically diminished because of his left ankle, the 2021 MIP was only a shadow of himself against Cleveland during the first four games. Finally at the level in Game 5, he was mowed down in full swing because of an injury… to the left ankle, again. According to the latest news from the “Big Apple”, optimism reigns all the same concerning its presence at Game 1, this evening. But for what level of play, and in what physical condition? A question similar to that posed before the series against the Cavaliers… The Knicks are able to play without him, but the faster the strong winger will find his rhythm and his feelings, the faster his team will operate to its maximum potential.
– New York’s defense of Jimmy Butler. The absence of Tyler Herro leaves the Heat’s attack without a major weapon, and in this the Knicks will be able to afford the luxury of “choosing their poison”. That is to say that “Thibs” and his men will be able to allow any player who is not called Jimmy Butler to gain confidence, because the “role players” of the Heat cannot win alone. In the first round, New York had adopted a similar strategy, willingly offering open wide shots to weak attackers like Isaac Okoro or Cedi Osman in order to close the corridors of ‘drives’ and complicate decisions out of Darius Garland’s screens. and Donovan Mitchell, who overall missed their series. Against Miami, the defensive scheme should therefore be the same, but with a higher degree of difficulty because the “role players” of Miami are more reliable in attack than those of Cleveland, particularly in the field of outside shooting. In summary: if the Knicks fail to limit Jimmy Butler, and that the latter displays the same level of dantesque play as in the first round, then they will be in trouble. The more the Heat will have to rely on its “role players”, the greater the chances of New York will be. Easier said than done as “Jimmy Buckets” walks on water in these playoffs, but if there is a defense that can do it, it is that of the Knicks in these playoffs.
IN REGULAR SEASON
Knicks 3-1
02 February: Knicks – Heat (106-104).
03 mars : Heat – Knicks (120-122).
22 mars : Heat – Knicks (127-120).
29 mars : Knicks – Heat (101-92).
VERDICT
Knicks fans be prepared: in all respects, facing the Heat will clearly not be the same lemonade as facing the Cavaliers. Better coached, with a better ability to adapt from the genius Erik Spoelstra, more experienced in the playoffs and more solid on both sides of the field than those of Cleveland, Miami players collectively represent a much tougher “matchup”, quite simply.
But let Heat fans also be prepared: falling on New York rather than Cleveland in the second round is clearly not a cakewalk, nor a favorable draw. Because this Knicks team has a profile capable of countering the Heat’s strong points: the best defense in the playoffs, while Miami is composing without its third best scorer, or even the best offensive rebounder in the playoffs in the person of Mitchell Robinson, while Miami points to the penultimate place in this area, in these playoffs (only 7.4 catches / game).
In short, the two teams seem to be capable, with their respective strengths, of hurting each other, and the series could then last, with several matches decided in the “money time”. Overall, New York, by a tad, seems to us to be the best, or at least the highest-capped, team in a best-of-seven series. In particular thanks to the possible domination of Jalen Brunson in the duel of the “backcourt”, without Tyler Herro on the Miami side. With the advantage of the field and its defense, New York can get away with it after a tough battle.
New York 4-2
CALENDAR
Game 1 : Sunday evening (7 p.m.), in New York.
Game 2 : on the night of Tuesday 2 to Wednesday 3 (01:30), in New York.
Game 3 : Saturday 6 at 9:30 p.m., in Miami.
Game 4 : on the night of Monday 8 to Tuesday 9 (01:30), in Miami.
*Game 5 : on the night of Wednesday 10 to Thursday 11 (to be determined), in New York.
*Game 6 : on the night of Friday 12 to Saturday 13 (to be determined), in Miami.
*Game 7 : on the night of Monday 15 to Tuesday 16 (02:00), in New York.
*if necessary
2023-04-30 08:04:00
#Presentation #series #Knicks #Heat
