After splitting the first two games of the series, the Knicks and Heat head to Miami for a critical Game 3 that will serve as a litmus test for the rest of the series with both sides at mostly full strength.
And after what we’ve seen to this point, that’s a major advantage for Saturday’s hosts.
Miami looked to be the better team in Game 1 with Jimmy Butler, who led his side with 25 points and 11 assists.
Yet it was his defense on Jalen Brunson — who scored just four points on 2-of-8 shooting across roughly 25 possessions with Butler as his primary defender — that helped key the Heat to a 108-101 win.
With Butler shelved for Game 2, Brunson (30 points) and Julius Randle (25) came alive for the Knicks, but their offense still shot worse than 48 percent for the seventh time in as many games this postseason.
Knicks vs. Heat pick
(3:30 p.m. Eastern ABC)
The Heat offense wasn’t any better without its star scorer, but the team still drilled 17 triples and held a late lead before faltering down the stretch.
Though Miami likely knows Butler’s status for Game 3 — it sure seems as if he’ll play after nearly a week off — the Knicks have to prepare for two versions of the Heat.
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Both versions are good enough to beat New York on the road, and a return home should pay dividends for Miami’s role players in a likely win.
Knicks vs. Heat prediction
Heat -3.5 (-110, BetMGM)