Game thread: New York Knicks @ Miami Heat 1/26/2022 7:30pm [Game #49]

Angeles Lakers on Sunday -- are 8-0 this season when getting at least two days of rest.

The Knicks are only getting one day of rest after losing 95-93 at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. And the Knicks are just 12-19 on one day of rest.

What's worse for the Knicks is that they are not playing good basketball at the moment, having lost four of their last five games. And they do not resemble the defensively-tough team that made the playoffs in 2021, ending a seven-year postseason drought and winning Tom Thibodeau NBA Coach of the Year honors.

Meanwhile, the Heat have won seven of their past nine games, and they haven't lost more than two straight games since Nov. 11.

Even blowing nearly all of a 26-point lead in the win over the Lakers on Sunday was seen as a positive.

"Those are important experiences to go through together," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

The Heat have adjusted to missing players all season. Currently, it's guards Kyle Lowry (personal reasons) and Tyler Herro (COVID protocol) who have missed multiple games.

But when one player is missing, another one steps up. For example, Lowry ranks fifth in the NBA in assists (8.3). Without him on Sunday, Jimmy Butler played the point-forward role, dishing 12 assists -- including 10 by halftime -- in a brilliant triple-double performance.

The Knicks also have two key players sidelined in starting center Mitchell Robinson and point guard Derrick Rose -- perhaps the most important member of their second unit. Both have right-ankle injuries.

Robinson is averaging 8.4 points and 8.3 rebounds, and his field-goal percentage is stellar at 77.8 percent. Rose is fifth on the team in scoring (12.0) and second in assists (4.0).

New York's two biggest stars are power forward Julius Randle and wing RJ Barrett.

Randle leads the Knicks in scoring (18.9), rebounds (9.9) and assists (5.1). But his numbers are down from last season, most notably his 3-point percentage (from 41.1 percent to 31.1). His scoring average last year was 24.1. Barrett is second on the Knicks in scoring (17.4), but his 3-point shooting is also down, from 40.1 percent to 35.4.

In addition, the offseason acquisitions of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier have not fully clicked.

However, one player who has been a positive surprise is rookie guard Quentin Grimes, who made 4 of 6 3-pointers in Monday's loss to Cleveland.

Grimes, a first-round pick, has not been bashful putting up shots, making 40.5 percent of his 3-pointers this season. Per 36 minutes, Grimes is averaging 13.1 points and 1.3 steals a game.

"He's not perfect," Thibodeau said. "But he plays hard on every possession."

Historically, the Knicks-Heat rivalry was once sizzling, the teams meeting in the playoffs four years in a row from 1997 to 2000. The Knicks won three of those four series, but the teams haven't met in the postseason in a decade.

Game preview courtesy of:
--Field Level Media

(STATS / cbssports.com)

Thanks, Rady.

MRob should be playing tonight. Need a big game from him and Noel. Need to be more efficient on offense. Can?t miss so many FTs. Going to be a tough game.

Wsup Rady .. Thanks for the Game Thread .. Tonight, we're going up against the Top Team in the East (Miami Heats), plus one of coach Thibs ex-star player Butler, a guy who plays winner b.ball.
The Knicks need this win tonight, I'm hoping coach Thibs run a 10 man rotation giving each player decent playing time to gain confidence in a Knicks win tonight.
The way this Knicks season been going I wish we had Woodard at head-coach, and Thibs at assistant coach !!!

Knicks are starting MRob, Randle, RJ, Fournier, and Kemba, so no surprises there.

Heat are doubling Randle. Our other guys need to step up.

The Heat defense is nuts. They play so aggressive from the opening tip. This may get ugly for us.

Heat have made 3 three pointers in the opening 4 minutes. Meanwhile, Randle only Knick to hit a shot so far.

Randle passes out of the double team and RJ knocks down a 3.

RJ and MRob both struggling on defensive switches so far.

Miami Heat have drawn more than twice as many charges as the next most team in the NBA

Burks is first sub off the bench. He comes in for Kemba.

Taj comes in for MRob. Noel out with a knee injury tonight. Will we ever have both MRob and Noel healthy at the same time?

RJ misses both FTs.

Grimes in for Fournier.

Randle is drawing the double teams and finding the open man on every possession. On this last possession, Burks immediately makes an ugly turnover.

I?m sure somewhere there is someone trying to use advanced analytics to make Burks? turnover Randle?s fault.

10 minutes into the 1st quarter. Here?s where you?d like to see Toppin and Cam come in for Randle and RJ. But no, not yet.

Also, why no Quickley yet? Did he lose his rotation spot to Burks as the 2nd unit PG? I hope not.

Coach Spoe are exploiting all the Knicks weak areas forcing the Iso Knicks to two touches on offense ..

Quickley comes in for RJ over 11 minutes into the 1st quarter. Randle still out there.

I don?t understand our rotations. Kemba/Burks are our PG rotation and RJ/Quickley are rotating with each other? That doesn?t seem right to me.

We get our brains bashed in throughout the 1st quarter. Heat look real good.

Randle plays the entire 1st quarter with 4 points, 4 boards, and 2 assists.

I don?t get it. Why play him all 12 minutes? Will Obi play most of the 2nd quarter now? What about Cam?

Knicks 16 - Heats 30 at the end of first quarter .. Randle & Barrett played the entire first quarter.
Yes! That's a Knicks PROBLEM !!!
Ask Butler ???

We start the 2nd quarter with Taj, Toppin, Grimes, Burks, and Quickley.

Grimes knocks down a 3. We trail 11.

Taj just isn?t a rim protector.

If MRob and Noel can?t figure out how to stay healthy this season, we?re cooked.

Obi already with 2 offensive boards and 2 dunks. He needs to play.