The second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs is approaching its final stages. Some organizations are getting closer and closer to the Larry O'Brien Trophy. On the other hand, others have a tough task ahead of them to stay alive in the competition. With the New York Knicks set to host the Miami Heat on Wednesday, it means it is time for some Knicks Game 5 bold predictions.
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.
On the other side of the series, 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 officially clinching a postseason bid by defeating the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament.
The team is coming off an 4-1 series upset victory over the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, who also had the best record in the league.
In the conference semifinals, the Heat stole Game 1 with a 108-101 victory. The Knicks bounced back with a 111-105 win with Jimmy Butler on the sidelines. Miami would then win back-to-back games in Florida to open a 3-1 lead.
Now back at Madison Square Garden, New York must win to avoid elimination. With all this in mind, here are some bold predictions for the New York Knicks for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals versus the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
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3. Mitchell Robinson wins the rebounding battle against Bam Adebayo
One player who emerged as an important piece for the Knicks this postseason is Mitchell Robinson. In the first playoff action of his career, the big man was crucial against the Cavaliers in the first round, outplaying All-Star Jarrett Allen and Defensive Player of the Year finalist Evan Mobley.
So far in the postseason, Robinson is averaging 6.8 points and 8.9 rebounds (5.0 of them being offensive) plus 1.7 blocks per game. He is making 65.9 percent of his field goals, the best mark on the team.
The problem is that his impact has been limited in the second round, mostly due to foul trouble. He played less than 15 minutes in Game 3 due to being whistled for four early fouls.
However, the bold prediction is that Robinson will have a solid performance on Wednesday. Expect him to have a tough battle against Bam Adebayo, with the Knick ending up grabbing more rebounds by the end of the night.
2. Jalen Brunson has a 30-point, 10-assist double-double for the New York Knicks
On the offensive side of the ball, Jalen Brunson is perhaps the biggest X-factor for the Knicks for the remainder of the series. As the team’s main acquisition for the season, the guard played a crucial role in New York’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 percent from the field, 41.6 percent from beyond the arc and 82.9 percent 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 the playoffs, the Villanova product is registering a team-best 25.2 points, 5.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds with 1.7 steals. His shooting splits are 44.6 percent from the field, 28.3 percent from the 3-point line and 93.6 percent from the charity stripe.
On Monday, Brunson had his best individual performance in this year's playoffs. He had 32 points and 11 assists, his first career postseason double-double.
The bold prediction is that he will repeat his scoring and playmaking on Wednesday. He should finish with another 30-point, 10-assist double-double, which could help the Knicks keep things close.
1. Game 5 goes to overtime
Although Miami has a 3-1 lead in the series, things could have gone in a very different direction. Three out of the four games were decided by less than 10 points, including two of New York's losses.
Because of that, it would not be a surprise if Game 5 is even closer. According to FanDuel, the Knicks are the favorites to win this contest. Currently, the spread is -3.5, which is the lowest among games with their odds already announced.
Since this is a win-or-go-home type of game for the Knicks, they should have a packed Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. With the help of their fans, they should have a solid chance of extending the series to at least one more game.
The bold prediction is that, after many memorable moments, Game 5 will end up going to overtime. If that is the case, this could go down as one of the best contests of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
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