gwyv

The New York Knicks have done very little to give any fan, analyst, or hater any reason to believe they can get back in this series. I gave the Knicks a prayer in Game 4 but tonight the Heat tuck the Knickerbockers in one last time before they stroll into the Eastern Conference Finals. For some reason the Knicks are -3.5 point favorites in this game…(?) I guess someone somewhere feels like the Knicks will step up in an elimination game at home. While that might be true and the Knicks might play their hardest tonight, nothing is going to stop Eric Spoelstra and Pat Riley from trying to put the Knicks out of their misery as soon as possible.

If there are five players on the floor for the Knicks at best they have about seven ankles. While the Madison Square Garden crowd will be enthusiastic to start, they will be headed for the exits late in the third quarter. I give the Knicks zero chance tonight so if I were you I’d feel good about betting the +134 underdog Miami Heat. Give Butler 25 points, Strus 10, Lowry 10, and give Adebayo 15 and 8 rebounds. If you can get 4 assists for Kevin Love that’s a safe bet.

It would be nice to think that the Knicks could give this town one last feelsgoodman moment but it’s just not in the cards. Their defense is erratic, their coaching has been suspect, and they don’t actually play better at home. With Jalen Brunson’s ankles questionable, Mitchell Robinson banged up and Immanuel Quickley out, the Knicks lose the battles in rebounding and bench scoring as they have the last two games. Unless Josh Hart shuts down Butler and RJ Barrett goes off it’s curtains and the Garden goes dark until the franchise (Billy Joel) rolls back into town. Sorry Julius Randle, I’m a fan but this is your last game at the Garden wearing blue and orange so go out there and drop 30 points like you should.