MIAMI — Jalen Brunson brought them there. His team kicking, screaming and scrubbing along the way, Brunson somehow had the Knicks within striking distance in the fourth quarter. A real chance to bring the series back to New York for the biggest NBA basketball game at MSG in over 20 years.
Brunson did everything while scoring 41 points. His teammates? They were all miserable Friday night in Miami. A collective disaster. As a result, a 96-92 defeat in Game 6 was the curtains on the Knicks’ season.
A solid season but a disappointing final act.
Julius Randle continued his ugly playoffs by scoring just 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting. He was joined in the Houdini act by RJ Barrett, who endured his worst performance of the series, by far, while finishing with 11 points on 1 of 10 from the field.
Brunson, on the other hand, was brilliant. He shot 14-for=22. His teammates combined to shoot 13-for-49.
Brunson’s lone pockmark on the evening was huge, however. With 16 seconds remaining and a two-point Knicks deficit, Brunson’s pass to Randle in the paint was a little off-target and landed in the Heat’s hands for a turnover.
An opportunity was gone. The Knicks, seeded fifth, won their first playoff series in a decade but fell in six games to shorthanded No. 8 Heat.
So overall, it was an encouraging campaign, a ride to unexpected success for Tom Thibodeau’s squad. But the playoffs presented pressing questions about the future, specifically regarding Randle and his ability to produce anything in a pressurized environment.
The Knicks came out firing, pushing their lead to 14 within 10 minutes of the opening tip. Brunson and Barrett combined for New York’s first 20 points. Randle joined the party later in the first quarter.
But the Heat recovered quickly, using a 13-2 run at the start of the second quarter to retake the lead.
Jimmy Butler was coming off his worst game in the playoffs, a Game 5 loss Wednesday at MSG when he was outplayed by Jalen Brunson. Afterwards, Butler said he was ready to play 48 minutes in Game 6 — he logged 41 instead — and declared, “We’ll win.”
Adebayo predicted powerful revenge.
“It’s Playoff Jimmy. We know the type of mindset he gets into if he feels some sort of disrespect I feel like he isn’t being who he is,” Adebayo said. “So I think the biggest thing for Jimmy is he’s going to come out in that mode tonight. You might see a different type of him that we didn’t see in New York.”
It didn’t quite work out like that. Butler was pressed by the Knicks’ defense and made plays when necessary, finishing with 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Adebayo added 23 points.
The Heat threw the kitchen sink at Brunson. Full court press. Two defenders on the ball. It didn’t matter. The point guard would find a smidgen a space, a moment of brief Miami lapse, and exploit it with a quick step and fadeaway.
His teammates provided no help, however, specifically Randle. And the Knicks’ season ended in South Beach.
Josh Hart added a pair to his family.
The Knicks reserve guard became a father to twin boys Friday, and he watched the birth via zoom from Miami while awaiting Saturday’s Game 6.
Hart, 28, was acquired via trade from Portland in February while his wife, Shannon, was pregnant. He’s a free agent after the season and the expectation is the Knicks re-sign him on a lucrative multi-year deal.
Hart was a revelation for the Knicks during the regular season and the opening series against the Cavaliers, but disappeared in the second round.
In Game 6, however, he was more productive over 33 minutes while scoring 11 points.
“Obviously I haven’t been shooting the ball as well,” said Hart, who moved from the starting lineup to the bench after Game 2. " But nothing is really different. Nothing really changed. Obviously got to give them credit, they’re doing a great job in terms of scouting, make sure they limit my transition points and limit my rebounds off of the glass. This is a team that has guys that’s been to the finals, guys that won championships. Coach has won several championships. So obviously they have that attention to detail and that focus that it takes to win games like this.”
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