Box Score Breakdown | Knicks @ Heat

By Kyle Soppe

 

The Knicks tested the basketball theory that “you live by the three, you die by the three” on a 99-89 loss in South Beach. New York’s game plan was obvious, as they connected on four three pointers in the first quarter, doubling the number of shots inside the arc they made. The reliance on the long ball worked early as the Knicks, despite 0 points from their big two (Carmelo was inactive), were even with the Heat.

If you told Coach Spolstra that Dwayne Wade and LeBron James would go 8/11 for 18 points, and Amar’e Stoudemire was held without a field goal in the games first 12 minutes, I’m sure he would have thought his team would have had a sizeable advantage.

The theme continued in the second quarter, and the Knicks were “living” by the jump shot. At the half, they had made only four two point field goals, but were only down 52-48. They made 10 three points, and attempted five more treys for the half than twos. Again, Wade and James continued to dominate, totaling 32 points and seven assists. The duo dunked eight times, doubling the shots inside the arc of the entire Knicks roster.

Needless to say, the Knicks eventually cooled down, but refused to stop jacking up shots from distance. When all was said and done, they attempted 43 triples and only 41 two point attempts.

Six Knick players made at least as many threes as the entire Miami roster. Only Tyson Chandler, who isn’t really allowed to shoot outside of the paint, did not attempt a three for New York. The Knicks unofficially set the largest point difference from behind the arc in a losing effort (they were +48).

The Knicks three highest scorers (Bill Walker, Landry Fields, and Toney Douglas) combined for only four made two pointers and 13 made threes.

Stoudemire attempted 30.2% of the teams two point field goals, and he hardly shot in the first half and was under his season average in shot attempts.

Miami’s “Big 3” took 68.8% of the teams shots. While the Heat bench attempted 23.7% of the teams shots.Wade and James each made 11 two point buckets, while the entire Knicks roster converted 12 times from inside.