The New York Knicks face a must win situation when they host the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their second round NBA playoff series.
The Knicks trail 3-1 but BetOnline has New York as a -4 point favorite with a moneyline price of -165 (Miami is +145) for the first of three possible elimination games. The total is 209.5.
The Heat are now -800 to win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference finals against either Boston or Philadelphia. The Knicks are +675.
Miami Heat (52-41, 3-1)
Jimmy Butler had 27 points and 10 assists in Monday’s 109-101 victory and has scored at least 25 in 10 straight postseason games dating to last season.
Jimmy Butler pic.twitter.com/plYtb5HDEx
— 𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘🦴 (@Demar305) May 5, 2023
After averaging 124 points in their upset of top-seeded Milwaukee, tops in the first round, the Heat have won the other way in this series. They have limited the Knicks to 99.8 points per game. Butler has provided a spark on the defensive end as well:
Jimmy Butler, first team 🔒🔒🔒 pic.twitter.com/ymdndZsKAr
— 𝘼𝙇𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙨 ™ (@AIR305) May 9, 2023
Miami also got a big lift from Bam Adebayo who scored 23 on 10-for-17 shooting and had 13 rebounds. Six of his baskets were dunks.
You might not recognize it in the moment. It might not be as recognizable as it is for other big ticket players around the league. But this is the anatomy of what makes Bam Adebayo a star player. pic.twitter.com/1BKAmcrcK4
— optimistic Heat fan (@kellyoburner) May 9, 2023
The Heat won the battle of the boards, 44 rebounds to 35.
The Heat will try to improve to 15-0 in series in which they held a 3-1 lead. New York never has come back from a 3-1 deficit.
New York Knicks (52-39, 1-3)
Not surprisingly, the Knicks find themselves on the verge of elimination. Miami has been the better team.
New York doesn’t have enough quality shooters to make a difference in this series, and that’s with Miami shooting just 33.3% from deep in Game 4. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 32 points and 11 assists, both game highs.
Jalen Brunson’s is so fkn good pic.twitter.com/fyxcpUSR2s
— Big Knick Energy (@BigKnickEnergy_) May 8, 2023
RJ Barrett added 24 points. Julius Randle, who fouled out with 3:08 left in the game, finished with 20 points and nine rebounds, but he also committed a game-high six turnovers.
Miami rates the Game 5 edge
Butler has been sensational this series, and Game 4 featured a peak Adebayo performance. What’s really proven to be a difference maker in this series is Miami’s depth vs. New York’s lack thereof.
The Knicks have to hope they can muster up enough motivation for Game 5 at home to extend this series, but even with three players scoring 20+ points in Game 4, it just wasn’t enough.
As long as the Heat keep getting quality production out of Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin on the bench, then I don’t see them losing the next game.
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