Miami Heat vs New York Knicks Game #59 Notes

Film notes: Kat vs drop, Herro hunts Brunson, Davion PNR, Brunson takes over & a lot of zone

Welcome to my game notes. A simple, basic idea where I’ll be sharing my notes from each Heat game. It will be going through the game in a chronological order, going through anything that stood out to me, whether it’s actions, themes, adjustments or anything fun — if you have followed me on Twitter, it’s basically what my old game threads used to be. Each quarter will have the video accompanied at the beginning that include all of the notes, and additional clips throughout to highlight those individual plays. It’s to allow me to nerd out focusing on the Xs and Os more freely.

Offense

1st Quarter

11:01 — Herro-Bam empty PNR going at Kat in a drop. Quick open pocket pass for a Bam pull up in the paint. Brunson helping off Davion from the break to be in the paint. Ware’s presence in the dunker spot is keeping OG occupied and attached

10:03 — Herro-Davion handoff attacks Brunson the show and is able to turn the corner and attack Kat helping from the strong dunker off of Bam. Poor contest so easy finish over him

9:23 — Quick Davion-Bam PNR before the defense is fully set. Brunson goes under and that gives Davion all the space he needs to attack and get downhill. Not sure what Kat is doing. He’s not in drop or showing any kind of help on the drive. Also, no help from anyone else. Hart was cross matched with Ware at the dunker and didn’t even realise he needs to help

8:55 — Herro Davion PNR. Defense PANICKED with Mikal and Brunson both jumping up looking to show and that gives Herro the advantage to reject the screen and attack the other way. Has the drive baseline and defense has to help there, which is Hart off the strong corner but that’s then an open kick to Burks for 3pt

8:35 — Quick Herro-Davion PNR again. Attacking Brunson on the show. That leaves Hart in poor position and bit on the pumpfake from Herro. Good little give and go action with Davion. Smart peel switch from OG, though off of Ware and that forces the floater instead. That was quick recognition

8:00 — Herro-Davion PNR. Herro drags out the show and that draws 2 on the ball, which opens up Davion for the wide open 3pt. Both Ware/Bam are pushed to the far side, taking away any potential stunts

7:33 — More early Herro-Davion PNR attacking Brunson on the show. This time no advantage and Herro goes for an early stepback vs OG instead

That’s five actions using Herro-Davion to attack Brunson in the first five minutes. They’re really spamming that

7:12 — Davion-Bam corner PNR. Good flipping angle at the last second from Bam to force Brunson to go over. Davion then has the baseline drive against Kat not doing much in the drop. Able to easily score vs Brunson 1v1 at the rim

6:35 — Herro-Ware-Bam double PNR strong attack at Kat in the drop and draws 2 defenders deep in the paint. Has the open kick to Bam but he doesn’t take the WIDE OPEN 3pt, just immediately looked to pass. Offense resets and goes into Herro Bam empty PNR and again attacking Kat in a drop. He’s out of position on the pocket pass and Bam gets the wide open roll to the rim. OG with the late rotation off of Ware in the dunker

5:09 — Broken play ends in a Burks-Ware PNR. Defense switches, so Ware slips and has the open roll to the rim. Kat as the low man doesn’t help at all

4:37 — Herro-Ware PNR attacking OG in the drop. Ends up drawing 2 on the ball on the drive and that opens up Ware on the lob. Kat is just asleep as the help

Second time in a row that Kat missed his rotation

3:46 — Herro-Bam PNR. Same thing with attacking Kat in drop. I don’t know what that defense is. He’s not really covering the drive and Herro gets an open layup up with Mikal fully trailing him. Burks also in the strong corner taking Hart away from fully helping

2:15 — Herro-Ware corner PNR going at Robinson this time. He’s higher up and that engages 2 on the ball. Ware has the wide open roll to the rim for a lob. No help from OG in the corner and also good relocation from Duncan as the roll happened to occupy the defense

0:46 — That was some good defense from McBride taking away Duncan’s space on the handoff

0:38 — Again looking to get Duncan the handoff but McBride is taking that away. This whole possession is the Knicks simply denying all of the movement well

2nd Quarter

11:30 — Bam delay hub into Duncan off a pindown but Shamet does a good job recovering. Turns into a Bam PNR but again Shamet doesn’t give up anything on the screen

10:45 — Rozier-Duncan ghost screen! Rozier gets a wide open drive because of it

Kyle has been making a couple of the driving lanes so much harder because no one is guarding him 1 pass away

8:05 — Rozier hub into a quick pass to Bam off a Duncan pindown in the paint. Gets the ball right to his spot at the elbow. Kat struggled getting over the screen

7:32 — Another time where Kyle being one pass away on the perimeter hurts any chance at driving. Rozier is seeing Hart just standing in the paint

The offense to start the second without Herro is looking for the quickest shot possible. If it’s semi open, they’re taking it because the Knicks defense is taking a lot of the actions away

6:26 — Finally, Duncan gets open off a stagger. First time I’m seeing Shamet trailing him. Even coming off the screen, McBride is so concerned with the shot that he aggressively stunts off Rozier

5:50 — Davion hub. Herro gets top locked by McBride on the Bam pindown. So, Davion looks the other way and it’s Duncan coming off the Haywood pindown, kind of a rescreen forces a switch and that opens up the slip for Haywood to roll to the rim. Kat, as always is watching but not thinking to help

5:11 — Same exact set up with Davion as the hub. First, it’s going to Herro off a pindown from Bam but gets toplocked by McBride. So, go the other way for Duncan off Haywood pindown. Brunson recovers well. It turns into just a Duncan-Haywood corner PNR with the quick touch-slip from Haywood. Robinson in the game, he does help early but now that opens up Bam on the lob

4:31 — So many of the off ball actions are getting blown up with good denials. McBride is making everything tough. Ends with a late handoff to Herro getting free on a good move and attacks baseline. Absorbs contact well for the foul

3:30 — Davion-Ware PNR with both Duncan/Herro looking to set a backscreen or pop out. The defense has to guard so many potential options and it ends with Davion attacking the drop and gets to the rim

2:21 — Great read from Herro. Late clock offense again with the previous actions getting denied but it ends in a similar way with Herro getting the handoff to attack baseline and goes at Robinson in drop. He keeps engaging 2 defenders on the drive and has the dumpoff to Ware. No help in the paint either

1:48 — Herro-Bam-Duncan Spain PNR. Herro gets the strong drive vs Kat in drop looking to recover. Gets right to the rim and it’s another great read for a dumpoff to Bam

0:53 — What a great ISO drive from Herro vs Mikal. Beats him off the dribble and gets to the rim. Kat doesn’t look to help AT ALL off Ware in the dunker. I don’t get why he couldn’t even show a little bit of a stunt or something

Not entirely Heat related, but man, Kat’s defense has been ROUGH both involved in action in the PNR or as the help defender

0:05 — Herro-Haywood empty PNR targeting Brunson on the show. Draws 2 and finds Haywood on the short roll for a floater

3rd Quarter

10:10 — Herro-Bam PNR. Attacking Kat in drop. He’s occupied with the drive puts 2 on the ball and that opens up Bam on the roll for the floater in paint

9:38 — Herro-Bam empty PNR. Knicks looking to ice it and poor game from Herro and poor shot selection on the tough stepback 3pt. Gets the bail out foul

9:02 — Davion-Ware empty PNR looking to get Kat involved(He’s now on Ware). Brunson goes under twice and no advantage so swing. Herro-Bam PNR but OG/Hart blitz + switch. Pass to Bam on the roll but bad decision from on the pass. TOV

8:15 — Davion-Ware empty PNR. Brunson looked to go under but Davion had the drive going already and attacks Kat in drop. Early help on the tag. Hart is in the paint on Ware and that opens up a kick to Burks. Bad off-ball defense from OG not zoning up and taking Bam away rather than Burks

7:43 — Davion-Ware PNR. Brunson looked to get attached and go over but again he already gets downhill and attacks Kat in drop. No resistance at all and gets a layup. Also, switched set up with Herro in the corner instead of Burks that has now Mikal glued to him

7:15 — Davion-Ware empty PNR again just attacking that drop. Brunson goes over. Hart is early in the paint, pre rotating but doesn’t offer much. It’s the same drive kick. OG again didn’t zone up at all and Hart looked to recover. Another Burks 3pt

6:43 — Davion-Ware empty PNR. Brunson under and wide open pull up 3pt

6:15 — Herro-Davion pistol handoff into Herro-Ware PNR. Mikal jumps the screen to ice it → Herro attacks the drop engages 2 but poor choice on the shot, fading away floater

5:50 — Herro-Bam empty PNR just a switch with Mikal/OG. Ball reversal and swings to Burks for 3pt off a Ware pin in screen

5:10 — Davion-Ware empty PNR. Brunson under and Davion attacking Kat in drop. Hart again early in the paint on the Ware roll. Bam with a 45 cut vs OG

4:30 — Herro-Haywood-Bam PNR. Gets Kat on the switch but then hunts the stepback 3pt early and passes it off. Looks to flow into another handoff with Bam, but Brunson recognises it and switches to kick Kat out. Ends in a tough late ISO stepback 3pt. There needs to be some recognition here to reset when Herro had Kat on him

3:08 — I like the decision making from Herro here instead of going for the shot, he finds Haywood for 3pt

2:40 — Herro-Ware-Duncan Spain PNR. Herro quickly goes for the pull up vs Robinson in drop. That’s a wide open look

2:05 Herro hub with Duncan top locked off a Ware pindown. McBride again doing a good job denying the off-ball stuff. Flows into Ware hub and Herro off Duncan screen into a Ware PNRE reject another pu 3pt contested

0:46 — Herro-Haywood-Ware PNR. Strong drive against Robinson in a high drop. Defense is already in the paint sitting there and it’s an open skip to Rozier for open 3pt

The Knicks have been sending help a lot early in the paint. There are multiple defenders there at all times

0:16 — Herro-Haywood PNR hunting Brunson on the show then goes for the pull up 3pt

4th Quarter

11:05 — Jesus. McBride is tough. Duncan can’t get any airspace from him on any of the screens and that kills time for the offense. Has to flow into Rozier-Bam PNR and late clock drive tough contested floater

10:23 — Rozier hub with Bam coming off Duncan pindown in the paint. Robinson struggles going over the screen and open middy for Bam

10:07 Duncan coming off screen able to attack and forces Kat to switch. ISO drive but OG is just rotating early in the paint on the drive off of Haywood

9:26 — Duncan-Bam empty handoff. He has Kat playing higher up and that opens up Bam on the short roll. The help is so early from everyone in the paint. Shamet helping off Haywood and OG helping off Burks 1 pass away from Rozier. He did make it but these are also looks that Bam has to make as a pass

7:09 — Feeding Bam in ISO post. Shamet is ignoring Haywood from the corner to be in the paint. That has to be a skip from Bam. Defense recovers and Bam looks to attack ISO TOV on the drive

6:06 — Duncan-Bam handoff again drawing Kat at the level and opens up Bam on the roll. No help and late help from Brunson. Good job from Bam to attack him and get to the rim

5:21 — Herro-Bam-Duncan Spain PNR. OG gives up nothing here. He’s playing some great defense and pressures Herro all the way. Herro looks to get into another PNR and just has to force a tough floater. At some point, you gotta give up the ball against such pressure

4:10 — Herro-Haywood-Bam double PNR. OG goes under and Herro just settled for the quick pu 3pt

3:$5 Bam-Duncan PNR no advantage into Duncan-Bam handoff just goes for a tough 3pt. That is just their action. Defense is also playing so much better going over screens

2:34 — Quick Duncan-Bam handoff with no advantage + Hart recovering back reset. Herro-Bam PNR vs OG goes for the pull up vs Kat drop

1:47 — The 8s violation from Herro was something else

1:23 — Herro-Bam-Duncan Spain PNR rejects and goes for the stepback mid

0:38 — Herro-Haywood PNR looking to get Brunson on the shows. Puts 2 on the ball and swing to Haywood 3pt

0:05 — Herro ISO vs McBride just let the clock down for a long 2

Overtime

4:47 — Herro-Ware empty PNR looks to drive vs Kat drop no advantage with the help being early in the paint. Ends in a late clock bailout from Bam ISO mid

Everything has felt tougher on those drives in the PNR. The defense gets back and recovers quicker. Everything is more contested

2:50 — Awful shot selection from Herro on the transition pull up

1:10 — Bam has the mismatch vs Brunson on the switch. That was all good from the action. OG looked to help on the dig and it was a wide open Davion 3pt

Defense

1st Quarter

10:40 — Brunson-Kat empty PNR with Bam ending up late switching. Ware is also early on the help as the low man off of OG

10:10 — Solid defense from Ware against OG, though he did get backcut initially. Good recovery and gets the block

9:43 — Another solid poss with not nothing going for the Knicks. Ware is again showing help off of Ware this time off strong corner on the Brunson drive. Ends with a bad def from Davion getting beat by Hart

9:07 — Herro doing a good job on the PNR getting around the screen to recover on Mikal. Ware with more help off OG and this time he punishes him

7:00 — Brunson-Mikal PNR gets Herro on the show but quick double from Davion and recover no advantage at all. Flows into Mikal-Kat PNR with a tough fade from Mikal vs Burks

6:05 — Bam with great 1v1 defense vs Kat drive. Gave up nothing and forced a pass

4:57 — Brunson-Mikal PNR gets Herro on the show again but this time before Davion can recover, Mikal already slips. Good help from Burks as the low man off Hart but then Bam is vs OG/Kat. Open 3pt for Kat

4:13 This was great peel switching from Ware to take the Brunson drive. Great recognition and blows up the possession with the late clock. Hart punishes it somehow with the late 3pt

3:30 — Ware with another good switch on the drive on Mikal. Gets beat on the closeout but still able to recover well on the block

2:36 — Zone def(#1). Ball swing McBride tough 3pt vs Davion rotating. OG good cut from the corner to get the ORB putback

2:00 — Good pressure from Davion vs Brunson not giving anything up. It just kills the whole clock. Ware with good weakside rotation at the last second for the block

2nd Quarter

11:50 — Zone def(#2). Hart gets a good drive off the catch vs Haywood to the paint

10:25 — more zone def(#3) and it ends in the exact way. Late clock on the swing, drive off a catch(this time Shamet) and gets to the rim. Bam with late help too and poor contest

9:55 — Zone def(#4). Swing Hart with off catch drive vs Kyle. No help at the rim from Bam

9:06 — zone def(#5). Just ball swinging and Shamet gets an open 3pt with Rozier looking to rotate

6:40 — Kyle has been getting scored on three times now. Hart easily takes him off dribble to the rim

6:00 — Kyle again getting scored on. This time by Payne in early offense. Feet in cement

4:08 — what a poss just with all of the rotations. Everyone is doing their thing and making the offense works. Ends with another Ware rotation for the block

3:47 — zone def(#6). Rotations and then they get a corner OG 3pt off a relocation. It’s stressing that far defender in covering 2 players every time

I feel like a lot of the 3s from the Knicks were just settling at some point

They have only gone to zone basically in the quarter

1:36 — zone def(#9). Good ball swing and finding Kat flash cut to the middle. Bam late to react and that’s Kat getting downhill at that point

1:20 — Zone def(#9). Bam is early to help on the Brunson drive but then Kat has good positioning for the ORB

0:43 — Zone def(#10). Defense making them work again. The paint is seeing so many bodies and it’s another good weakside block from Ware

0:30 — Ware hunted that block and that left Kat wide open

3rd Quarter

11:50 — Brunson off ball with Davion trailing gets to the paint for the floater

11:20 — Kat elbow hub with Brunson off screen cut. That forces Ware to help and it’s an open OG cut. Burks didn’t sink to help

10:46 — Herro giving up an ORB to Mikal just cutting in front and out hustling. Open Kat cut and no help. No awareness from Ware

8:30 — Ware poor closeout and contest vs OG off a screen. Went under

7:30 — Brunson OG PNR → engages 2 then has the kick to OG on the pop. Poor closeout from Ware and gets beat badly. Couldn’t recover and there’s no help after. Herro low man

7:00 — Brunson-Kat empty PNR. Davion ICEs it then it’s just an ISO with no help and ends up getting an easy score at the rim 1v1

6:20 — More Brunson attacking Davion quickly in ISO draws a foul

6:05 — Knicks push pace. Ware doesn’t match up on time with anyone and gets lost. Then gets beat by Kat on the closeout. Easy drive to the rim with no help anywhere

5:34 — Brunson-Kat-OG PNR. Ware ends up switching with Davion trailing. Reset Brunson pull up 3pt vs Ware. Poor contest

4:47 — Brunson-Hart PNR. Doesn’t want to switch and Brunson gets the drive. That forces Haywood to help and it’s x-out rotations. OG forces Burks on the fly by and it’s an open 3pt

3:20 — Zone def(#11). Ware with good rim protection and another block

2:51 — miscommunication and poor awareness from Ware looking to get Davion to switch on Hart when that’s not the time. Gives up an open cut

1:33 — Ware giving up ORB by boxing out well and that results in an open kick OG 3pt

4th Quarter

9:34 — Starting 3 straight poss with the same kind of zone and all kind of the same results too and how the Knicks got their looks. Just ball holding, swinging and chucking up a 3pt

The Heat have forced the Knicks into using a lot of the clock to start the 4th in almost all of the possessions. Their process hasn’t been great, nor the result

6:20 — Kat having two drives in a row against Haywood and there’s little to no good help from anyone else

5:05 — Haywood has been allowing those drives with ease. Now he allowed one to Brunson

4:25 — More Brunson ISO vs Haywood. This time post fade

4:02 — Third straight Brunson ISO drive vs Haywood in transition

0:56 — no one watching where OG is(Davion, Herro, Duncan) and it’s just allowing him to cut for the ORB

0:28 — More transition drives for Brunson, this time against Davion

Overtime

4:13 — Brunson just cooking Haywood getting to his spots for clean looks

2:34 — Brunson-OG PNR. Open pull up 3pt vs Haywood. Some confusion with Davion and Haywood

1:56 — Ware gets back but isn’t aware or quick enough to realise what’s happening and OG gets a cut as a trailer

1:25 — Brunson-OG PNR getting Herro on the switch and show. Burks looks to give a lot of help 1 pass away but then is out of position to defend the closeout

0:43 — Brunson ISO vs Haywood. Easily gets a drive and draws a foul

Haywood has been getting targeted a lot and doesn’t give any resistance