Cleveland built a 22-point lead early in Game 1 by targeting Jalen Brunson’s defense. New York responded by attacking James Harden, using Brunson to isolate him and repeatedly run on-ball screens. Brunson scored heavily over the final 12:40, making eight of his last 10 shots and scoring 17 of his 38 points, largely through isolations against Harden. Cleveland’s coach kept Harden on the floor despite his defensive reputation, and Harden struggled to stay in front of Brunson. The Knicks ran 21 on-ball screens in the fourth quarter and overtime, producing nine isolations and averaging 1.9 points per play in those situations. The strategy proved highly effective and forced Cleveland to consider adjustments.
"Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson did everything he could to expose Knicks star Jalen Brunson's defense throughout the first 40 minutes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference, which is why, in part, they were able to build a seemingly insurmountable 22-point lead with 7:40 left in regulation. But New York head coach Mike Brown, who normally shies away from such a strategy, one-upped Atkinson and the Cavaliers down the stretch by painting a target squarely upon the beard of James Harden."
"Over the final 12:40 of Game 1 between the fourth quarter and overtime, Brunson hit eight of his last 10 shots and dropped 17 of his 38 points, mostly while isolating Harden. Sometimes, you gotta do what the game dictates, Brown said. They were trying to do the same thing with Jalen. We said, OK, we feel like we can play that game.' We try not to play that game much, but we feel like we have a guy that we can play that game with in Jalen."
"In what might have been Atkinson's greatest folly of the night, he stayed with Harden despite his reputation of being a shoddy defender, at best. When fresh, he is in no way quick enough laterally to keep up with the shifty Brunson. After the Knicks repeatedly went after him, he was nothing more than a pylon. According to the All NBA Podcast, the Knicks ran 21 on-ball screens in the fourth quarter and overtime, which resulted in nine isolations."
"They averaged 1.9 points per play in those scenarios basically a basket every time. That's an unstoppable strategy, and one that Atkinson should have realized and addressed by taking Harden out of the game when Cleveland still had a healthy lead. Surely he will adjust. He has no other option. But the Knicks seem to have a fail-safe option whenever the beard is on the floor and that is so"
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