The conversation centered on form and lift and creating and flat-out shooting. The man doing the talking was the Heat’s Ray Allen, a certified expert on the matter. You make more 3-point shots than anybody else in history, you’re an expert.
Allen was discussing how there just aren’t that many NBA players any more who can make the claim of being a shooter.
“I think shooting has become a lot art,” Allen said Friday night before the Heat invaded the Garden to kick off the Knicks’ season and renew the rivalry that was continued in the Eastern Conference first round last season. “You’ve got guys who can just make shots. But the art of shooting, it seems like it’s fading. You’ve got a lot of people in this league who just take shots. [Teammate] Mike Miller and I always talk about the phrase ‘shooter’ is always used very loosely in this league.”
But last night, Allen had to only look at the guys across the way. The Knicks, from long range, took shots. And the Knicks, from long range, made shots. So it was the Knicks, not the defending champ Heat, who walked out of the Garden with a 104-84 victory after making 19-of-35 (.543) on 3-pointers. The 19 were one shy of the team record.
So in front of a frenzied Garden gathering, the Knicks — in particular Carmelo Anthony before the half and Steve Novak after halftime — shot the Heat off the floor from the early going. The Knicks were 6-of-9 from deep in the first quarter when they shot 61.9 overall with Anthony 4-of-5. All that staked the Knicks to a 33-17 lead.
And the 3-point hits just kept coming. The Knicks cooled in the second quarter — 3-of-9 — but that still left them at 9-of-18 by halftime. And that was without Novak, their deadliest deep shooter, having a make. That changed in the third quarter when the Knicks’ lead surged over 20. When Novak clicked at 3:12 for his second triple, the Knicks led, 75-52. Novak, of course, was a first-round playoff flameout for the Knicks last season. He made 4-of-7 trifectas but was smothered and became a non-factor.
Last night, Novak made 5-of-8 from deep — one more than he had in the first round.
Allen acknowledged Novak’s expertise. After all, taking and making are two different things. Allen has been doing it since he joined the league out of UConn in 1996-97. Entering this season, Allen had hit 2,718 3-pointers, the most ever, good for a .400 career percentage.
“When he first got in the league, he seemed more timid,” Allen said of Novak. “He could shoot the ball, but his feet got locked. He wouldn’t move. He seems like he’s moving a lot more, … moving around and shooting from different locations on the floor.
“You can’t predetermine what you’re going to do. The hoop doesn’t change but defenses will put you in situations to make it uncomfortable. And some guys who are standstill shooters can’t get out of their comfort zone. And he’s starting to establish being able to shoot where he’s uncomfortable and still make shots.”