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With both teams bringing down their higher-seeded first-round opponents, the New York Knicks and Miami Heat have renewed their NBA playoff rivalry. The unlikely semifinal matchup caught the NBA world by surprise as the two protagonists were not even considered contenders based on the regular season.
Splitting the first two games of the series, Miami took Game 1 with a 108-101 scoreline, and New York won Game 2 111-105. This second-round series is expected to be extremely tight and could easily go either way.
Led by an extremely dominating Jimmy Butler, the eighth-seeded Heat ousted the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games. Showing their resiliency, Miami had to overcome a pair of fourth-quarter double-digit deficits in their last two outings to advance to the next round.
Miami Heat’s conquest of the Bucks made them one of the hottest and most talked about teams in the NBA going into the second round. What made the victory seem unrealistic was the absence of Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo, who were injured one after another in the opening series.
Not only did Miami stun the NBA World when they beat the Bucks, but Butler and company also did so in only five games. Although Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with an injury, Milwaukee managed to have their MVP in games four and five with Giannis still able to put up his usual numbers.
Not to be outdone, the fifth-seeded Knicks also dispatched the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, spoiling the impressive debut of Donovan Mitchell.
Either the Heat or Knicks will have a shot at history by becoming just the fourth lower-seeded team (fifth or lower) in the past 24 years to reach the conference finals.
The New York Knicks vs Miami Heat series could hinge on the following three factors:
#1. Jimmy Butler's scoring for the Miami Heat
The biggest reason behind their unexpected success, Jimmy Butler has led Miami in scoring.
Hitting a shot to force overtime against the Bucks, Butler is averaging 35.5 points, 1.8 steals, and 6.8 rebounds in the playoffs. He has also been an extremely efficient scorer both from the field and from downtown, shooting an incredible 58.5 and 43 percent, respectively.
Miami Heat’s chances rest solely on Butler's availability for the rest of the series against the Knicks. Jimmy Butler can put his team on his back on any given night, as evident in his 56-point-output in Game 4, and 42 points in Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
But his absence could create a huge hole in their offense that would be too difficult to fill. Missing Victor Oladipo and Tyler Herro could compound their offensive woes too.
Although Kyle Lowry, Gabe Vincent, and Max Strus are capable of having big games of their own, Jimmy Butler’s clutch presence and his dominance on defense are simply almost irreplaceable.
#2. Miami's ability to stay hot in the playoffs
Miami Heat’s performance in the playoffs has been in stark contrast to their regular season numbers.
From dead last in points per game (115.3), Miami ranks first in PPG (121.3) in the playoffs. Likewise, the Heat are first in three-point shooting (42.9), 12th in free-throw percentage (75.8), 11th in rebounds (42) fifth in assists (25.3), and 10th in turnovers (13.2).
If they can keep up their resurgence, they have a real shot in this series. Alternatively, if they falter, things will become a lot more complicated.
#3. The New York Knicks' defense
The Knicks have been more of a defensive team in the playoffs than they have been in the regular season. While holding the Cavaliers to under 100 points per game, the Knicks have also outrebounded the taller Cavaliers 45.4 to 37.2 in the first round.
If the New York Knicks want to bring the Eastern Conference Finals to Broadway, they must continue playing great defense.
They squeezed past the Heat in the last matchup, but will be looking to keep them below 100 points per game going forward. That is with or without Jimmy Butler in the lineup.
If they can limit Miami's offense, the Knicks have a fantastic chance at taking the series.
With it all square after two games, Game 3 presents a fantastic spectacle for the neutral.
