After a lot of basketball, the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs is officially underway. Now, teams are one step closer to hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. With the Miami Heat set to face the New York Knicks on the road on Tuesday, it means it is time for some Heat Game 2 bold predictions.

Miami went 44-38 in the regular season, earning the No. 7 seed in the East in the process. This represented nine fewer wins compared to 2021-22. The Heat wound up losing to the Atlanta Hawks in the Play-In Tournament before defeating the Chicago Bulls at home to officially clinch a postseason bid.

The team is coming off an upset 4-1 series victory over the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, who also had the best record in the league.

On the other side of the matchup, the Knicks finished the regular season with a 47-35 record. With the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, New York returned to the postseason after a one-year absence.

In the first round, the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, marking the franchise's first playoff series win since 2013.

The Heat managed to steal Game 1 at the Madison Square Garden 108-101. Unfortunately for the team, Jimmy Butler ended up injuring his ankle, and his status for Game 2 is up in the air.

Back in New York, Miami will need to overcome Butler's injury to open a 2-0 lead. With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Miami Heat for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals versus the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

3. Miami forces Jalen Brunson to 5+ turnovers

New York's main acquisition for the 2022-23 season, Jalen Brunson was a crucial piece for the team's success this year.

In the regular season, he averaged a career-best 24 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds. He shot 49.1% from the field, 41.6% from beyond the arc, and 82.9% from the free-throw line.

For his performances, Brunson was a finalist for the NBA Most Improved Player Award, losing to Utah's Lauri Markkanen.

In Game 1, the guard had 25 points on 11-for-23 shooting but missed all of his seven 3-point attempts. He also had seven assists and five boards. However, he recorded a game-worst five turnovers.

With Julius Randle potentially missing another game, the Knicks will likely give Brunson even more touches. Because of that, the Heat should pay extra attention to him.

The bold prediction is that Miami will force Brunson to have at least five turnovers, just like in Game 1. If that is the case, the Heat will have a better chance of containing the Knicks' offense.

2. Jimmy Butler plays, has a 20-point performance

There is no secret that Miami's season heavily depends on Jimmy Butler. The Marquette product's impact was felt during the regular season, especially when he missed multiple games as he recovered from an injury. Miami ended up going 9-9 without him.

The six-time All-Star averaged 22.9 points per game, his best mark since joining the franchise, while also grabbing 5.9 rebounds and dishing out 5.3 assists per game. He notably shot a career-best 53.9% from the field.

Before spraining his ankle late in the fourth quarter of Game 1, Butler had a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double plus four assists and two steals. He had limited participation in the final minutes due to his injury.

With so much uncertainty surrounding his condition, Heat fans are waiting to see what the team will do. Since Miami struggled without him in the regular season, it might need its star to make an extra effort to be on the court on Tuesday.

All things considered, the bold prediction is that Butler will play, perhaps with limited touches compared to previous outings. Still, should he play, expect him to finish with 20-plus points and be important for the team's strategy.

1. This is at most a 10-point game

At the end of the day, both organizations are coming off convincing first-round victories. Additionally, Game 2 was close for the most part.

According to FanDuel, the Knicks are the favorites to tie the series on Tuesday. Currently, the spread is -7, which is larger than New York's -4 for the series opener.

With Butler likely limited with his ankle injury, the Heat will need its supporting cast to step up. Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love had their moments in Game 1 and should gain even more minutes on Tuesday. Bam Adebayo might also have more shots depending on how Butler is feeling.

The bold prediction is that this will be at most a 10-point game. This means that this contest should come down to a wire, with every possession mattering even more. Since Randle and Butler's conditions are still in question, both the Heat and Knicks will need to make new plans to win Game 2.