The Knicks didn't get the Jalen Brunson they've been used to seeing in Sunday's game one loss to the Heat, as the star point guard missed all seven of his 3-point attempts and turned the ball over five times as New York crumbled in the fourth quarter.
Brunson, with Jimmy Butler hobbling down the stretch after rolling his ankle, was unable to attack Miami's ailing star, and the Heat capitalized on the Knicks' ice-cold shooting to grab a 1-0 series lead and steal home court advantage.
After the game, Brunson put the loss squarely on his shoulders, as he wasn't able to lead the team with All-Star Julius Randle in street clothes due to a sprained ankle.
"They finished the third quarter strong, and the second quarter strong," Brunson said. "There were key moments in the game where you need to finish strong and be strong, and that starts with me. I didn't. Today I was horrific. Very uncharacteristic by me, and this one is on me. I got to get better.
"We'll go from there."
The Knicks clearly missed Randle, but still held a 12-point lead in the first half. That lead slipped away thanks to some dreadful 3-point shooting, as the team shot 7-for-34 downtown, highlighted by Brunson's goose egg on seven attempts.
The Knicks will look to even the series back at MSG on Tuesday night, with Randle's status still uncertain.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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