New York Knicks forward Julius Randle. (Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)
Knicks fans don’t feel confident going into an elimination game after watching their team drag their feet in a Game 4 loss to the Heat.
A lot of Knicks fans talked themselves into believing in Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson and company after watching them decimate the Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. All that did was amp up the pain of watching them get worked by the Heat in the second round.
On Monday night, the Knicks needed a win to even up the series. They weren’t blown out like in Game 3, but they might as well have been. The 109-101 loss stung hard and put New York on the brink of elimination.
Fans were in their feelings in the final seconds and after the final buzzer, contemplating the loss and the future.
Knicks fans grapple with Game 4 loss by embracing despair
The Knicks let the Heat outrebound them 44-35, including 13-8 on the offensive boards. They also turned the ball over 17 times to Miami’s 13.
That was pretty much the difference in the game as NY shot 48.7 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from the arc.
The vibes around Game 4 might have been different if Jimmy Butler had gone off, but he didn’t need to go god-mode to get this win. He had 27 points, six rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and two blocks as he continued to play up to his Playoff Jimmy moniker.
The Heat bench found far more success than the Knicks’. Kyle Lowry had 15 points while Caleb Martin put up 10. The entire NY bench had 10 points.
The Knicks now face an elimination game coming up on Wednesday in New York. Despite the advantage of their home floor, the odds are against them. Miami are 14-0 when leading a series 3-1 while the Knicks are 0-14 when trailing 3-1, per ESPN. No wonder Knicks fans are feeling such despair.