New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) celebrates with guard Immanuel Quickley (5) after Randle scored during final seconds of the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Friday, March 3, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee, AP)
MIAMI — The game was fumbling away. The winning streak was about to end.
Then Julius Randle came to the rescue.
The Knicks All-Star connected on an improbable and acrobatic game-winning 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in Friday’s 122-120 victory over the Heat, capping a thrilling game and exquisite performance from the resurgent power forward.
Randle finished with 43 points, including six in the final minute. He’s been great for big chunks of the last three seasons, but Friday represented the best single shot of Randle’s Knicks career.
Maybe even his entire career.
“It’s up there,” he acknowledged.
But the play started as a disaster. Randle had committed a turnover on the previous possession, leading to Tyler Herro hitting the go-ahead lay-up for the Heat with under 30 seconds left. Since Tom Thibodeau had unsuccessfully challenged a play about a minute prior, the Knicks had no timeouts to set up the game-winner.
So the ball was nearly turned over twice before Randle found enough space to rise for the jumper. He fell sideways to get it over defender Tyler Herro, giving the Knicks (38-27) their eighth straight victory.
“It felt good honestly when it left my hand,” Randle said. “I was in the zone I guess.”
New York’s bench then erupted in a wild celebration, which included Randle accidentally running over his coach.
Thibodeau’s tumble to the court (he was fine afterward) was a big topic in a joyous postgame locker room.
“He’s going to feel that tomorrow,” Mitchell Robinson joked.
Immanuel Quickley was the first to help his coach.
“I checked on Thibs, made sure he was OK because everybody just ran him over,” Quickley said. “It was like Nate Robinson when he jumped on Paul Pierce. But it was a big-time shot. We expect that from Julius, so I’m glad he made that shot.”
The atmosphere was amped for a game between the fifth-seeded Knicks against the seventh-seeded Heat. Fans from both teams alternated chants, with Knicks supporters going crazy with their 17-point lead in the first half, and the Heat crowd responding with chants during the second-half comeback.
“It was a lot of energy. Friday night in Miami,” Randle said. “Sunshine and all that stuff. A lot of Knicks fans in the building. So it was back and forth for sure.”
Miami leaned into the old Knicks rivalry by playing an intro on Jumbotron with flashbacks to the 90s contests. There was a renewed sense of significance attached to the matchup because of their respective spots in the standings
And in the end — following a crazy game-winner — The Knicks (38-27), seeded fifth, won their eighth straight and moved 4 ½ games above the No. 7 Heat (33-31).
“Unbelievable,” Thibodeau said. “Tough shot. Put it in. Tip your hat.”
* * *
A potentially devastating development arrived in the third quarter. Jalen Brunson, the catalyst to New York’s surprisingly strong season, came up limping after contesting a dunk attempt from Jimmy Butler.
Brunson hobbled back under the rim to try to draw a charge on Butler on the follow-up, but he was in obvious pain and quickly left for the locker room. Luckily for the Knicks, who’ve somehow avoided major injuries to their top players other than Robinson, Brunson returned ready to play in the fourth quarter with his ankle taped.
He finished with 25 points and didn’t speak to the media.
“I don’t know,” Thibodeau said. “We’ll see what the training staff says and then tomorrow more important, how they feel when they get up in the morning.”
Mitchell Robinson also banged up his knee in the third quarter but appeared fine after the game.
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Originally published at Tribune News Service