I mentioned in my lengthy Knicks-Thunder recap that there were two particularly well executed plays (or poorly defended, depending on your point-of-view) that shifted momentum late in the game (albeit very briefly). I thought I would share some screen captures to illustrate what happened a bit more closely, as the instantaneous result of both plays resulted in a reaction of "how the heck do you allow that shot to happen?" from the defense.

1) Kevin Durant's Game Tying Three Pointer



Here's everybody staggered around the foul line, with Collison in the foreground on the left elbow, and Gallinari defending the inbound pass, particularly vigilant of what Durant will do after he makes the pass. Collison cuts toward the basket and circles around back toward the right elbow, near where Russell Westbrook will have the ball after receiving the inbound pass.



Collison has made his move and now appears to be setting up a screen for Westbrook, with Durant quietly in the foreground on the left wing. Gallinari is watching the ball but also has Durant in front of him, possibly anticipating a pass back.



Collison fakes the screen toward Westbrook and then immediately moves to screen Gallinari while Durant goes to meet the pass from Westbrook. David Lee should be up toward the three point line ready to switch the screen, since there's no point in protecting the paint when the Thunder need a 3 pointer with less then 10 seconds left in regulation. Instead, he's in no man's land, and ends up closing out far too late on Durant's successful 3 pointer to send the game into overtime.


2) Eddie House's basket to give the Knicks their final lead in overtime.



House is highlighted in the center of the lane here, just as the inbounds play is developing. Gallinari is coming out to meet the ball considerably behind the 3 point line, while Chandler (#21) fakes toward the ball and then turns back toward House to cut into the lane.



House sets a slight screen for Chandler cutting toward the basket, which opens up a very slight bit of daylight, then moves to cut toward the sideline. The key here is that Westbrook (at the FT line) temporarily loses track of House, distracted by Chandler's cut to the basket, perhaps thinking there may be a lob.



In the meantime, Lee has turned to screen House as he cuts toward the left sideline, and Westbrook is already behind as a result of turning his head previously.



At this point, House is wide open at the left wing, and McGrady finds him easily. House doesn't need much time to get off his shot anyway, but Westbrook isn't close to contesting the shot. Lee's man doesn't switch...in fact, everyone apart from Westbrook seems frozen.


An overhead view from another angle during replays shows just how open House was by the time he received the pass. He made the basket to give the Knicks their final lead at 118-117.