Heat’s Bam Adebayo explains why Knicks shouldn’t be counted out yet
The season is on the line for the New York Knicks after dropping Games 3 and 4 in Miami. The Knicks are 0-14 when faced with a 3-1 deficit, so if they can win Games 5-7, they’ll make history.
New York’s effort in Game 4 left a lot to be desired, so to force a Game 6, the Knicks will need to be a completely different team on Wednesday than they were on Monday. It helps that New York has nothing to lose, which actually places a bit of pressure on Miami. Bam Adebayo knows that, too.
Adebayo has been too much for Mitchell Robinson and the Knicks to handle, but he’s preparing for Game 5 to be the most challenging of the series thus far.
Bam Adebayo on Game 5 vs. the #Knicks: “I’ve been on these playoff runs, the last one is the hardest one to get…their backs are against the wall.” #Heat
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) May 10, 2023
Bam Adebayo says Knicks’ “backs are against the wall” ahead of Game 5
LeBron James said something similar after the Lakers picked up a Game 4 win over Steph Curry and the Warriors for the 3-1 lead on Monday. Los Angeles’ case with Golden State is different because the Warriors have plenty of playoff experience and are less than a year removed from winning their last NBA title, but they’re still in the same position as the Knicks.
Jalen Brunson is approaching Wednesday’s contest with the right mentality. He isn’t worried about Game 6 or Game 7. He isn’t even worried about anything other than the first quarter of Game 5.
"We can't focus on Games 6 and 7, we have to focus on the first quarter of Game 5"
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 10, 2023
Jalen Brunson on the Knicks' mentality ahead of tonight's game: pic.twitter.com/ifZYRbC2Yv
Rather than look at the big picture and focus on winning out, Brunson is taking it one step at a time. The Knicks can’t afford to come out flat like they have in the past couple of games. New York will have the crowd at MSG on its side which is a big advantage in an elimination game, but it’s going to come down to who wants it more. So far, the answer to that question has been Miami. Just ask Julius Randle.
The No. 5 Knicks aren’t the underdogs against the No. 8 Heat, but they are the underdogs in this scenario. It’s up to New York to change the narrative.
