The New York Knicks can't afford to lose Game 2 of their second-round series against the Miami Heat. After losing 108-101 in Game 1, the Knicks have to play much better Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks should be able to take care of business at home and tie up the series before it heads back to Miami. Jimmy Butler suffered an ankle injury toward the end of Game 1 that severely limited the superstar. There's a chance that Julius Randle will play in Game 2 after missing the series opener with an ankle injury of his own. With some better play and a few tweaks by Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, New York should be able to show why it started the series as favorites to eliminate the Heat from the 2023 NBA Playoffs and reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
Let's look at three adjustments the Knicks can make against the Heat in Game 2.
3. Give Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride more minutes
The Knicks' inability to make 3-pointers was the biggest reason for their Game 1 loss. New York went 7-of-34 from behind the arc, including a ton of wide-open looks. Quentin Grimes shot 38.6% from 3-point range for the season and 45% after the All-Star break. Grimes was limited to 10 minutes off the bench in Game 1
Grimes started the Knicks' first three games of the 2023 NBA Playoffs before suffering a shoulder injury. His plus-10 was the best plus-minus of any New York starter in the team's first playoff game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Josh Hart went 0-of-4 from behind the arc in 35 minutes in Game 1. Hart has been tremendous for the Knicks, but he's only made five total 3-pointers in 218 playoff minutes.
Thibodeau might also want to consider giving Miles McBride some playing time. The second-year point guard has only been on the court for 12 minutes in the playoffs. Immanuel Quickley has been a complete disappointment in 146 playoff minutes. Quickley has shot 16-of-47 with eight assists and six turnovers. If the Knicks' sixth man starts off Game 2 slow, it won't hurt to see what McBride, one of the team's best defenders, can do.
2. Get back in transition
The turning point of Game 1 came in the middle of the third quarter. After trailing for most of the first half, the Heat finally caught the Knicks early in the second half. In the span of two and a half minutes, Kevin Love threw three outlet passes that led to Miami layups, the last of which gave the Heat a 74-66 lead from which the Knicks could never recover.
It's no secret that Love is one of the greatest outlet passers in NBA history. The veteran only played 16 minutes in Game 1. Love made them count with nine points, five rebounds and four assists. Miami's half-court offense is one of the worst in the entire league. The Knicks must emphasize preventing the Heat from getting those easy baskets off outlet passes in Game 2.
1. Target Jimmy Butler defensively
The Knicks blew their chance to steal Game 1 when Butler injured his right ankle with 5:05 left in regulation. Butler stayed on the court and seemingly could barely move with the Heat up 97-92. Miami's best player stood in the corner on offense and was essentially used as a decoy. When the Heat were on defense, the Knicks refused to attack Butler.
If Butler plays in Game 2, he will likely be less than 100%. New York must at least try to make Butler work on the defensive end in the early going. If Butler is a step slow, it could be what Jalen Brunson needs to get going after a subpar Game 1 performance.