We left these Knicks convincing and sure of their strength, last week after their victory in Game 5 in Cleveland, synonymous with qualification for the second round.
Among these strengths, the offensive rebound was central to the success of new York, with a full first round against the Cavaliers averaging 15 offensive rebounds and 18.2 points on second chances per game. A strong point which appeared as a key to the series for the semi-final against Miami.
In this, Game 1 this Sunday had the effect of a cold shower for the Knicks, who secured “only” 12 offensive rebounds, for only 11 points on second chances. The reason ? A much greater physical presence in the painting compared to Mitchell Robinsonin comparison to the series against Cleveland, embodied in particular by Kevin Love and Bam Adebayo, authors between them of 13 rebounds, including 10 defensive.
” It’s not easy to stop this giant from rebounding “Launched the strong winger who arrived in Miami during the season, about Mitchell Robinson. ” But I think we did a job to get in his way, to surround him constantly when Bam is on him. »
Although he finished the game with 14 rebounds, including 5 offensive, Mitchell Robinson struggled more to reign in the racket, compared to his health walk in the first round. Blame it in part on the absence of Julius Randle but also because the Heat systematically sent another player to help Kevin Love or Bam Adebayo, like Jimmy Butler (7 defensive rebounds), Caleb Martin (4 defensive rebounds) or Kyle Lowry (5 defensive rebounds).
A disturbing beginning of the butterfly effect
A domination of the defensive rebound by Miami which therefore destabilized the Knicks, not used to being deprived of their second chances this season, and which above all allowed the Heat to take advantage of several easy baskets in transition, 15 points in total, at the end of the season. image of Kevin Love’s three quarterback assists.
” Was this our game plan? I wouldn’t say that. Against a team like [New York]it is certain that we are looking for baskets that are easy and quick in transition » adds the Heat player. ” But honestly, and more simply, we just have the feeling that the match turned out well in our favor. We’ll see what’s next. »
The rest, as far as New York is concerned, is an almost obligatory “must-win” in Game 2, already. A victory that will go through a better outside address, after a terrible 7/34 behind the arc in the first game…
Because this great external awkwardness, chronic since the start of the playoffs (27%, the lowest percentage of the playoffs), beyond limiting the offensive ceiling of the Knicks also triggers a complex butterfly effect: if their external awkwardness in the first round was compensated by their domination of the offensive rebound, the Knicks this time face a more malignant team under the panels. More difficult to secure points on second chances, they must therefore be more efficient on their first chances to circumvent the problem.
Otherwise, the pattern of Game 1 could repeat itself, and New York would find itself in great danger…
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Julius Randle | 77 | 35.6 | 45.9 | 34.3 | 75.7 | 1.8 | 8.1 | 10.0 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 25.1 |
| Jalen Brunson | 68 | 35.0 | 49.1 | 41.6 | 82.9 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 6.2 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 24.0 |
| Rj Barrett | 73 | 33.9 | 43.4 | 31.0 | 74.0 | 0.8 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 19.6 |
| Immanuel Quickley | 81 | 28.9 | 44.8 | 37.0 | 81.9 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 14.9 |
| Quentin Grimes | 71 | 29.9 | 46.8 | 38.6 | 79.6 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 11.3 |
| Josh Hart | 25 | 30.0 | 58.6 | 51.9 | 78.9 | 1.9 | 5.2 | 7.0 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 10.2 |
| Cam Reddish | 20 | 21.9 | 44.9 | 30.4 | 87.9 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 8.4 |
| Obi Toppin | 67 | 15.7 | 44.6 | 34.4 | 80.9 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 7.4 |
| Mitchell Robinson | 59 | 27.0 | 67.1 | 0.0 | 48.4 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 9.4 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 7.4 |
| Evan Fournier | 27 | 17.0 | 33.7 | 30.7 | 85.7 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 6.1 |
| Derrick Rose | 27 | 12.5 | 38.4 | 30.2 | 91.7 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 5.6 |
| Isaiah Hartenstein | 82 | 19.8 | 53.5 | 21.6 | 67.6 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 6.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 5.0 |
| Miles Mcbride | 64 | 11.9 | 35.8 | 29.9 | 66.7 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 3.5 |
| jericho sims | 52 | 15.6 | 77.6 | 0.0 | 75.0 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 3.4 |
| Svi Mykhailiuk | 13 | 3.1 | 50.0 | 60.0 | 60.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.6 |
| Trevor Keels | 3 | 2.7 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Ryan Arcidiacono | 11 | 2.4 | 20.0 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
