The Miami Heat wanted to try and make it two in a row on Sunday. Something they haven’t done a lot this year, they wanted to go on a little winning streak, instead of being apart of someone else’s
Entering a game against the New York Knicks, that was sure to be slow-paced game based on their stats, this would be a contrast in styles to the series against Washington that they finished on Friday. Or would it?
Well, we thought it would, but the Knicks came out firing. This was a different kind of New York Knickerbockers team than we have seen the rest of the year.
The Miami Heat beat a different looking Knicks team for a good win on Sunday.
They were led by both Reggie Bullock and Julius Randle. Bullock would finish with 21 points, three rebounds, and two assists, while Randle would turn in 26 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists.
Though the stats would end up finishing exactly as they were supposed to, the Knicks started on a blistering pace. They average 83 attempts per game and finished with 85 on Sunday.
They average 38 makes per game and finished with… you guessed it, 38. Here’s the formula for a team like the Miami Heat when they face a team like the Knicks.
If they make their limited looks just a little tougher than average, then they should win by attrition alone. The Miami Heat are an above average defensive team, from a raw effectiveness standpoint and a far above average team from an effort standpoint, so that’s why that should work that way.
With a second contest coming up against this same Knicks team on Tuesday, I expect that a similar formula will work. If the Miami Heat can simply come out and endure the Knicks for 48 minutes, they should win because the Knicks aren’t going to flat-out pour it on anyone for four straight quarters.
The Miami Heat needed this win and they need a lot more. We said they need at least seven of the eight games following Friday’s Washington win and they now have one down.
Seven (or eight) more to go (we also said that eight would be more like it). See you on Tuesday!