With game on the line, Richardson is perfect
MIAMI — For a moment it was as if Miami Heat forward Josh Richardson was back in college, when the ends of close games came down to foul shooting.
So four times during the tight fourth quarter Friday night against the New York Knicks, the 2015 secondround pick out of Tennessee toed the line and converted without a miss. Twice in overtime he did the same, on a night he went 7 for 7 and the Heat 19 of 20, their best free-throw percentage of the season.
“Probably the most significant things about that, one, he’s one of our best free-throw shooters. He loves those clutch moments, like a lot of our guys do,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, as his team turned its attention to today’s game against the Utah Jazz at AmericanAirlines Arena. “We have several guys that were just itching to get into that game at the end, for competitors only, they live for those moments.
“Secondly and the most important thing, J-Rich has that speed and agility to get open in those moments. It looked like we were caught a couple of times and he was able to break free. That’s what you really need in those situations.”
Richardson said he felt completely at ease, in a victory that had several uneasy moments.
“I kind of try to visualize it when I shoot free throws after practice,” he said. “I try to make myself tired after practice so I can feel right, kind of try to simulate it.
“There’s no real way to simulate that. But yeah, that’s the moments every basketball player dreams about, every basketball player wants that. So to be able to be in that position was great.”
Richardson scored eight of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, making two free throws with 13.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter and two more in overtime with 25.7 seconds to play. in the third quarter, he left him in for the balance of the game.
“J.J. does so many little things, but defensively his versatility, he toughness, his ability to guard different guys allowed us to play that lineup with K.O. (Kelly Olynyk) at the five,” Spoelstra said.
Johnson said he recognized it was a game to play in support of Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, Wayne Ellington and Richardson.
“On this team,” he said, “it’s not going to be your night every night. Sometimes Dragon’s going to have a good game. Sometimes Tyler is going to have a good game. Wayne Ellington. J-Rich. The list goes on on our team. So whoever has it going, you just fed him all the energy you possibly can and try to put your imprint on the game somewhere else.”
It was the second game back for Johnson after missing six of the previous seven with ankle bursitis.
“I feel fine,” he said. “I feel like today was the best day my ankle felt since I been back and I can only get better from there.”
Olynyk said Johnson made the closing minutes productive.
“J.J. is so versatile,” he said. “He can do so many different things: putting the ball on the floor, creating shots for other guys, screening, rolling, getting to the hoop. If you’re in trouble you just throw him the ball and he can make something happen.
“He’s so versatile and defensively he’s a stud as well. He covers for a lot of our holes on offense and defense.”