If anyone had said before the game that the Knicks would be playing a half-court offense while Dallas engaged in a frantic run-and-gun shootout, they would have been called crazy.
But now, that was exactly what was unfolding before their very eyes.
The Mavericks were playing well. Their team of jump-shooters hadn't lost their energy, which was why Little General Johnson was hesitant to make adjustments.
However, the Knicks were playing even better, and they were starting to close the gap.
What was unexpected was that when the Knicks started running their half-court offense, they looked surprisingly competent. Even their defense became cohesive.
For pundits like Larry Brown, this came as a huge shock.
They had previously lambasted the Knicks for being tactically inept, accusing them of only knowing how to rely on tricks. But now, the Knicks were serving up a tactical masterpiece.
