Heat Want It More - Take Game 4

To win Wednesday, the Knicks need to want it more. Will they? Will he? "I don't know."

Here's how I ended my previous post, recapping Game 3's loss and looking ahead to Game 4:

"So while New York needs to make several adjustments… The first essential improvement has to be the Knicks showing up Monday for Game 4 determined to outwork/outmuscle Miami."

Well, New York did NOT outwork/outmuscle Miami. 

That will again be the focus here. For as much as we talk about X's and O's and makes and misses, results are sometimes determined by which team wants it more. 

After the loss Monday night, Julius Randle was asked why the Heat have grabbed so many offensive rebounds and consistently beaten the Knicks to loose balls. Randle replied: "Maybe they want it more. I don't know."

He said the quiet part out loud. 

As I detailed after Game 3, Randle's effort level, especially on the defensive end, was atrocious in the blowout loss.

And right out of the gate in Game 4, it was clear he wasn't willing to increase his intensity. 

Here we are, less than five minutes into the biggest game of the season (arguably the biggest game the Knicks have played this century), and Randle makes a lazy drop pass to Brunson, which Gabe Vincent steals. Instead of running back on defense, Randle throws his hands in the air as if the turnover wasn't his fault. Worse yet, he refuses to run back on defense. Thus, after Brunson forces Vincent into a miss, the Heat have two players there to grab the rebound and make the layup. Randle is finally seen jogging back onto the screen after the ball goes through the hoop.

A few minutes later, Randle is lazily walking around the perimeter when Kevin Love (one of the slowest players in the league) takes a few steps to his left and rises for a three-pointer. Randle watches this and reacts with zero sense of urgency. He doesn't contest the shot in any way, which Love knocks down, giving the Heat a five-point lead.