NBA 2022/23, on Wednesday, 03.05.2023
Patrick Ewing, Aaron Rodgers and Dwyane Wade were all in attendance for the opening game of this series at Madison Square Garden to see if the Heatles’ red and white basketball fairy tale would go into its next round.
While the underdog did indeed win in the end, the problems that arose have led me to now switch sides in my Knicks Heat tip. After all, some failures are not so easy to compensate for!
The undisputed superstar of the 2022/23 NBA Playoffs so far has not been Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry and certainly not Giannis Antetokounmpo, but without a doubt Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat.
The power forward scored a whopping 56 points against the Bucks in Game 5 and another 42 in the following Game 6. In the opening game against the Knicks, he also played a key role in the Floridians’ current 1-0 lead with 25 points the day before yesterday.
But this win could cost MIA dearly. That’s because Butler injured himself and currently has swelling on his ankle that is reportedly the size of a baseball. No chance of that swelling up by tonight…
For Miami, Gabe Vincent was among those who impressed in the opener with some on-target throws at key moments. Bam Adebayo, meanwhile, stabilized the defense as usual, while the experienced Kyle Lowry was crucial to save the lead over time.
From the moment Jimmy Butler was injured until the final siren sounded, the Knicks came closer and closer. One thing was immediately clear: if Miami had played without the 33-year-old from the start, they would have been completely screwed.
But that’s exactly the scenario MIA faces tonight. On the other hand, Julius Randle could come to the Knickerboxers’ rescue again in Game 2. While his status remains uncertain, New York will need to do everything they can to avoid an early 2-0 deficit.
In Game 1, there were still odds averaging 2.41 for a Heatles win, but tonight those betting odds have been set at a much higher level averaging 3.20.
Jimmy Butlers injury could namely be game-changing. In fact, it’s important to remember that Miami finished the regular season with a record of just 44 to 38, and the only way the team qualified for the playoffs was through the play-in tournament.
Sure, they made surprisingly short work of the Bucks in just five games in Round 1, but Jimmy Butler was fundamental to that success. Without him, the Heat will be brought back down to earth in Game 2.
Finally, it’s important to remember that injury woes took Tyler Herro out of action at the very beginning of the postseason and Victor Olapido out of action shortly thereafter – both of which were absolute mainstays for Miami.
The fact that the Heatles were still able to maintain their winning ways is all the more credit to them. With the loss of Jimmy Butler, however, even the third and by far the most important MIA player is now missing.
The Knicks, meanwhile, should be able to draw on their home-court advantage. Because before the opening loss, they managed to win both home games against the Cavs relatively clearly.
In order to raise the payout to a reasonable level, I had to resort to a handicap bet as part of my Knicks Heat prediction.
However, I wouldn’t choose this one too high, even if Bet365 Sportsbook is currently offering a HC win by the New York Islanders at, say, -20.5 points at astronomical odds of 5.20.
But the Floridians have already proven several times to be able to put away failures of key players surprisingly well.
While that of Jimmy Butler is too big to prevail in the end, I still wouldn’t want to risk a NYK win with a HC of more than -4.5…
Conclusion: The Knicks have been the much better team all season. Even though there are doubts regarding the use of Julius Randle, I am relatively sure that NYK head coach will have to bring him.
It would be fatal to leave for Florida with a 0:2 record – even against a Heatles team that is shorthanded and, in addition to Tyler Herro and Victor Olapido, will now have to do without Jimmy Butler.
It will take a lot of devilment for New York not to even the series tonight. Still, I have enormous respect for the visitors’ bench, which is why I’m choosing my handicap bet relatively low.
Namely, my Knicks Heat tip is NYK wins at a HC of -4.5.
