Knicks Season Ends In Miami

 

The fatal blow for this team came in the opening game of the series which they lost. The Knicks have never won a playoff series in their history when they have lost game one at home. They are now 0-8 in such series. The loss in the series opener forced the Knicks to have to win a game in Miami, which they were not able to do.  Game 6 was their best effort in South Beach, but after blowing an early 31-17 lead in the first half the Knicks gave Miami the breathing room they needed to outlast them in front of their home crowd.   

 

Jalen Brunson was tremendous for the Knicks, scoring 41 points in an effort to do everything he could to keep this team alive. He reached the 20 point mark in every game of these playoffs and his 41 points in the final game were the most points scored by a guard in the playoffs in franchise history. He also topped the 30 point mark four times in the Miami series. Only Bernard King, who scored 30 points five times in a 1984 series against Boston, has scored 30 more times for the franchise in a playoff series.

 

There is a lot for this franchise to build upon after winning just their second playoff series in the last 23 years. The most concerning aspect heading into the summer is how their lone All-Star two of the last three seasons, Julius Randle, disappeared again in the playoffs after doing so two years ago.  Randle’s 25 points and 10 rebound season average along with the Knicks winning ways this season earned him a third team All NBA selection for the second time in three seasons. He averaged however just 16.6 points and 8.3 rebounds in ten games this postseason.  Something the Knicks could not overcome.