Writing about ONE possession
Video Breakdown
The Knicks have leaned into their two man game the last couple games, or more accurately, have been allowed to. Both the Hawks and Celtics barley defended Josh Hart with their center, and opted to put them on Karl-Anthony Towns. This opens the flood gates in terms of Towns’ gravity as a center, and using him in tandem with Jalen Brunson. The play I'm breaking down takes it a step further, putting all five guys into play along with the duo.
Side Lift Flare
The play begins with Hart setting a side screen for Towns, cutting him out to the perimeter. I wouldn't call this Horns or Horns Out, Horns alignment typically requires both players stationed at the slots with corners filled, and that's not what's happening here. OG Anunoby is on the opposite wing, and Brunson is already off to the side, so the alignment doesn't fit that label.
Towns uses the screen to cut out and receive the ball from Brunson, and at this point, it closely resembles their Pistol 5 action. If Towns’ defender overplays the handoff, Brunson has a backdoor cut readily available as a counter. The other thing worth noting here is Mikal Bridges lifting out of the corner, which may seem subtle but is setting the table for what comes next if Brunson were to receive the handoff.
Bridges lifting out of the corner is what creates the real estate for the next action, with that space now vacated, Hart can set a flare screen for OG on the weak side, giving him a catch-and-shoot three. But if the defense is in automatic switch mode, Hart can slip the screen before the defense has a chance to recover.
Full Play
Similar Play
Horns Out Ball-screen Flare
What's important is how the Knicks have built actions specifically designed to keep Hart actively involved. The best part about these sets is their versatility, they work whether the opposing center is roaming off Hart or not. Even in the Boston game, where the center didn’t defend him much, Hart was still being dared to shoot, and the same dynamic played out in the Portland game shown here. That's why it's notable that the Knicks are running these actions, they create real problems for defenses based on how they choose to play Hart, and gathering those plays are valuable for the offense as a whole.