In the end, this series, ended 106-94 by the Miami HEAT Wednesday night, was decidedly simple. The New York Knicks may have suffered injury after injury, and the HEAT may have effectively tweaked both their pick-and-roll defense and perimeter coverage, limiting open threes and aggressively denying Carmelo Anthony the ball when possible, but Miamis fundamental advantage for five games was that they played a more sustainable brand of basketball.
Thats referring to the offense, of course. The Knicks certainly had lengthy stretches of inspired defense, particularly at home, but this series swung on how consistently each team was able to score the ball. And the Knicks werent consistent because they didnt have an offense capable of it against a playoff defense.
Playoff defense, as in, a defense capable of taking away entire aspects of a game plan. New Yorks biggest threats for efficiency were its three-point shooting and pick-and-roll game, and Miami handled each, blocking ballhandlers from turning the corner, stepping up on big men rolling to the basket and drawing charges, and closing out with abandon on shooters.
The Knicks scored less than half a point per possession used by their ballhandlers in pick-and-rolls, just 60 percent of their three-pointers were assisted, and their best shooter, Novak, took just nine shots in 95 minutes of action.
All Miami left its opponent with, then, was one-on-one basketball.
The Knicks came into the series using more isolation possessions over a quarter of its offense than any team used any type of offense in the NBA. While weve all heard of teams trying to take away what their opponent does best, it should tell you plenty about this series that Miami made little effort to take away what New York did most often. Help was always at the ready whenever Anthony approached the paint, but when he or JR Smith held the ball on the perimeter facing the basket, there were no double teams.
If New York was going to win making contested jumpers, most often two-pointers, off the dribble, then so be it. The HEAT would defend it, but they wouldnt take it away.
Miami is a tough defensive team, Anthony said. They stick to what their schemes are. They rarely make adjustments . . . overall they are a hell of a defensive team.
Five games, 134 isolation possessions for the Knicks. It was an offense that one a single game, Game 4, but when Miami wasnt giving up free opportunities via turnovers, there wasnt much else. Anthony and Smith combined to take 200 of New Yorks 367 field-goal attempts, they shot 38 percent on those, and just 41.2 percent of the teams offense came from assists. The NBA low for the regular season was 49.7.
We could discuss how good LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were, how different Miami looked in averaging 6.6 more assists per game than its opponent and how the HEATs offense fluctuated as did its three-point shooters, but the series was won on defense, and thus the offense the Knicks were funneled into.
The Indiana Pacers, while not sharing the same individual scoring talents of New York, will offer something a little more complex.
Obviously the Knicks and Miami was a ticket seller. Miami-Indiana from the outside when it comes to hype wont be the same, Wade said. But we know [Indiana] is a better team. They proved it all year.
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