Tommy Dee , theKnicksBlog.com

The NBA during the regular season, as we know, has often become a friendly game of intense pick up particularly in transition. Stars often let stars do their thing for the sake of great highlights with the intent of getting the ball and going back the other way. This, of course, changes with the magnitude of the game.

Having watched the Olympics it was clear that teams, specifically Argentina and Spain, assigned their guards to jump and defend the outlet pass and give fouls on Team USA guards in the backcourt thus forcing whistles and limiting transition baskets.

The Knicks should apply this strategy against the Miami heat and it’s an assignment that should be given to Pablo Prigioni.

Prigioni isn’t a member of the star fraternity so it should start there, but it also should be the job of Ray Felton, Brewer and Iman Shumpert when he returns. Limiting transition baskets is critical to game flow and also frustrates a team that wants to get out an run. In Miami’s case it’s an absolutely critical part of their offense seeing the struggle often in half court sets. It would also behoove the Knicks to try this strategy against teams like the Celtics as well. Heck, why not the whole league.

People talk about defense and they talk about the no lay up/dunk rule in the half court. But there is a way to limit this in transition as well.

And it starts with fouling the outlet guard off a missed basket. Find him and foul him in the back court.