The Miami Heat is going to have a natural letdown in Game 2
Even if Jimmy Butler does end up playing on his bum ankle, it would be extremely surprising if there wasn’t a natural letdown from the Heat. After a big Game 1 in which they have already accomplished the split on the road, the Heat knows it is playing with house money in Game 2. There will be an emotional letdown and that could very well lead to a schematic letdown if Jimmy doesn’t play.
You can make the argument that it makes the most sense for the Heat to rest Jimmy for Game 2 and let him get nearly a week of rest heading into Game 3. If I was a betting man, I’d fully expect that to be the case in Game 2. And if that does end up being the case, the Heat doesn’t have enough scoring power to beat the Knicks. Not on their home floor. Not with Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo already out with season-ending injuries.
Just as we saw from the Heat against the Milwaukee Bucks in their first-round series, in which they were blown out from the jump, I fully expect to see some sort of letdown from Miami in Game 2 against the Knicks. And it would be hard for New York to not take advantage.