Jalen Brunson Has Knicks Fans Hyped After Game 2 Win vs. Heat Without Jimmy Butler

It was anything but easy, but the New York Knicks found a way to defeat a severely shorthanded Miami Heat team 111-105 to even their second-round playoff series at one.

Jimmy Butler was sidelined by an ankle injury, but the Heat still led for much of the game until Jalen Brunson put the Knicks on his back. He finished with 30 points, five rebounds and two steals behind 6-of-10 shooting from deep, and it was his steady presence that helped New York overcome a fourth-quarter deficit to escape Madison Square Garden with a win.

It was far from a one-man show, as Julius Randle just missed a triple-double (25 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists) in his return from injury, and RJ Barrett (24 points) carried the offense in the early going.

But it was Brunson who drew most of the social-media love for his showing in Tuesday's Game 2:

It would have been easy for the Heat to fold up and look ahead to Game 3 with Butler out. After all, they already stole home-court advantage regardless of the Game 2 outcome and were still on the road against a team desperate for a win.

Yet they went basket-for-basket with New York throughout the first half and took a three-point lead into intermission. Caleb Martin was the only one in double figures at that point, and the balanced approach proved to be a problem for the Knicks for extended stretches.

There was far less balance on the home team's side, as Knicks not named Barrett, Randle and Brunson had a grand total of seven points at the half. The outside shooting of Barrett and Randle provided a bright spot, but it was easy to pick up on the apprehension coming from the crowd in the Garden.

Miami's injury problems weren't done even with Butler, Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo, as Max Strus went to the locker room in the third quarter. New York took a temporary lead during his absence, with the same trio of Randle, Brunson and Barrett remaining aggressive, but there was no separation heading into winning time in the fourth quarter.

Just when it seemed as if the Heat were going to pull away with Martin and Gabe Vincent looking like All-Stars, Brunson mixed in multiple threes and a step-back jumper. Throw in Isaiah Hartenstein creating second chances by drawing fouls and grabbing boards and a monster corner three from Josh Hart, and there was just enough to get the win.

It may be a different story if Butler returns for Saturday's Game 3 in Miami.