Jimmy Butler’s unknown Game 3 status adds twist to Knicks’ prep
The Knicks already have seen the Heat with and without their best player, and that should help Tom Thibodeau’s team in its preparation for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday in Miami.
The Knicks dropped the series opener with Jimmy Butler in the Heat lineup, and they pulled out a split at Madison Square Garden with the six-time All-Star sidelined for Game 2 with a sprained right ankle.
There is “optimism” that Butler will return to the lineup, according to the Miami Herald, but Thibodeau has worked through separate game plans to account for the key opponent’s availability.
“The good thing about the situation that we just went through is we played one game where he played and one game where he didn’t play,” Thibodeau said after practice Thursday in Tarrytown.
“So we know style of play, what he brings, how they’ll be different when he plays. We also know how they’ll play when he doesn’t play.
Jimmy Butler scored 25 points in the Heat’s Game 1 victory at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg
“You prepare for whatever the strengths of the club are, whether that means that it’s added 3-point shooting or if it means more zone [defense] or whatever it might mean. You just have to go in with your plan, but the things that you need to do to win are always the same in terms of defense, rebounding, and keeping your turnovers down.”
All-Star forward Julius Randle certainly knows what Butler is going through; the Knicks’ leading scorer sat out the series opener with an aggravated ankle sprain suffered in Game 5 of the first round against the Cavaliers.
But he fought through what he described as “hell” to come back for Game 2, posting 25 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in 37 minutes in the Knicks’ series-tying victory.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Knicks vs. Heat NBA playoff series
“There was no way I was sitting out at all,” Randle said Thursday. “I have a lot of respect for Jimmy, the type of player he is. Mentally, you know he’s gonna be locked in and engaged regardless of how he feels bad, and he’ll be great.
“So we just want to try to make it as hard as we can for him and just limit our mistakes on our end when we’re guarding him.”
Much of that task again would fall to Josh Hart, who has started the past four games.
Quentin Grimes sat out the final two games of the Cleveland series with a shoulder injury before switching to a second-unit role against the Heat.
“I would say we have to, especially with him, have an even bigger focus on not allowing him to just get easy baskets … and keep him off the offensive glass” Hart said. “Obviously, without Jimmy [in Game 2], we knew they were going to play more shooters and look to get up more 3s.
Jimmy Butler scored 25 points in the Heat’s Game 1 victory at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg
“He’s a winning player. He’s one of those guys that just has that warrior mentality, trying to will his team to win. When he’s out there neutralize that as best we can.”
Butler, who was coached by Thibodeau in both Chicago and Minnesota, remained in Game 1 after rolling his ankle, but the Knicks didn’t take advantage of it or attack him at the offensive end.
Asked Thursday what he thought about seeing a hobbled Butler still in that game, Thibodeau replied, “Just win the game, that’s what went through my mind. That’s part of playoff basketball. Guys are gonna get nicked up, so you just gotta do whatever you can to win the game. That’s it.”
Randle added that he similarly operated with a “whatever it takes to win” mindset in Game 2, although he certainly sounded appreciative of having three days off before Saturday’s game at Kaseya Center.
Jimmy Butler (l.) could return for Game 3 on Saturday. Charles Wenzelberg
“I think we all value recovery at this point in the season,” Randle said with a laugh. “But like I said, I try not even to think about it, man. It doesn’t matter at this point. I’m healthy enough. I feel good enough to play. I feel great. So that’s where my focus is.
“I talked all year about the mental stuff. At this point in the season, that’s just what it is: the body will do what the mind tells it to do.”
Source: New York Post
