Options in Horns
Playoff Edition - Video Breakdown, Data
One of the many offensive series the Knicks have leaned into as their set play-calling increased throughout the season is the Horns series. It is one of the most common sets in the NBA, every team runs some version of it. For New York, the Horns alignment relieves Jalen Brunson of on-ball responsibility while creating opportunities for other ball-handlers, while also assisting in his on-ball chances. We will look at some Horns offense throughout the playoffs, including their recent games against Cleveland.
Horns Out — Utilizing other handlers, specifically Mikal Bridges
Bridges hasn't had much run for him this season. Most of his on-ball usage stems from the motion offense or freelance possessions. However, after the Atlanta series, the Knicks began featuring him more on the ball through a horns set, known as Horns Out. I broke down this action in more detail using a play the Knicks ran for Brunson last season:
In its basic form, it gets Bridges the ball against a weaker defender, teams have often stuck their weaker defenders on him. Let's get into the film.
We have our Horns alignment, two players in the slot and two in the corner. Robinson sets a screen for Bridges, giving him the choice of which way to initiate his action. Brunson sits in the left corner, Hart on the right. If I'm Bridges, I'm starting right, keeping Hart strong-side in the action rather than weak-side, you want your good shooters weak-side to punish any high coverage.
In this example, Joel Embiid plays drop coverage, which eliminates the need for taggers and creates a 2-on-2 situation. Bridges thrives against drop coverage more than higher coverages, the defense puts less pressure on him as a handler, and he can snake into his desired midrange spots with ease. Not to mention, Bridges more often faces a lower quality defender at the point of attack, so they’re easily screened off.
Tyrese Maxey guards Bridges once again, who attacks on the side with Hart and Alvarado (strong-side), while the better shooter in OG Anunoby, spots up weak-side. Drummond plays it more level but retreats after swiping at the ball. Notice the separation Towns' ball-screen generates on a player like Maxey, it puts him on Bridges' hip and takes him out of the play entirely.
The Cleveland series tells much the same story. The Knicks attack with Bridges in ball-screen action, targeting Donovan Mitchell and James Harden as the point of attack defender. The Knicks have grown increasingly comfortable featuring Bridges on the ball as the playoffs have progressed. Horns Out ball-screen action has generated 1.03 PPP on 24 playoff plays, building on a regular season that saw the action produce 1.10 PPP across 76 plays.
New York can build on the play if countered, by pitching to the elbow.
The Sixers deny Bridges, so the Knicks pitch to KAT at the elbow, who initiates a pin-down + handoff (zoom action) for Bridges. The Sixers do a good job taking that away, but VJ Edgecombe leans in too far and opens up a spot-up opportunity for Hart.
Horns Twist/Up
With Brunson's true usage climbing this playoff series, driven by attacking both Mitchell and Harden in ball-screen action and Cleveland's cross-match scheme on Hart, the Knicks have added this play to bring more structure to those situations.
Cleveland has played switch-heavy defense against the Knicks, so New York looks to exploit that with their best switch-beater in Jalen Brunson. The interesting wrinkle here is the Knicks initiating the action with Allen first. Typically, you'd see the weaker defender, Harden, drawn into the action first, forcing a switch, before attacking the big on the following action. Here, the Knicks seem to be testing Allen's willingness to switch, which he has done at times, before setting up the attack on Harden.
Horns Dive Exit
A classic the Knicks have run all season to generate looks for KAT. In the Cleveland series they've run it with Bridges handling to draw the Mitchell switch in the middle of the floor. It becomes a sneaky good play when Cleveland cross-matches Hart, as he can set an exit screen for Brunson as an additional option.
In Brown's offense, creating and making space for others drives everything. This play embodies that philosophy and reflects the trademark approach Brown has stamped on the offense this season. Read more about a similar design the Knicks ran earlier in the year.
