Heat and Spurs review at the end of the quarter: Zone defense, Spurs take advantage

The Spurs established a considerable advantage in the third quarter, but the Heat's zone defense played a 17-1 wave in the first half of the fourth quarter to bring the game back. Spoelstra's zone defense showed its power in this game.

The Heat's starting position switches between 2-3, 3-2 and a box-1 similar to the ball holder. Even if Wenban goes to the outside to screen, the defender behind him will restrict the passing line, while Adebayor behind him will flexibly move around the basket to avoid a three-second violation.

The Spurs' initial strategy was to let Wenban attract defensive pressure near the free throw line, but the Heat's defense on both wings would quickly switch to man-to-man mode after Wenban received the ball. In this case, it would not be easy for open spaces to appear.

The Spurs also tried to attack the openings of the Heat's defense with continuous breakthroughs from left and right 45-degree positions. However, the Heat shrank quickly after their opponents released the ball, and this breakthrough was immediately forced into a mistake.

Then the Spurs changed their thinking and switched to Wenban's baseline dunk point. Barnes went to the top of the key to cover the defender. After receiving the ball, Wiggins in front quickly returned to defense, and worked with Adebayor to prevent Barnes' shot from the basket.

In the first half of the fourth quarter, the Spurs used Wenban the most to attack with the ball near the free throw line after covering the screen. However, as mentioned before, Adebayor controlled his position very well. He followed the opponent on the baseline and could quickly confront Wenban after the Spurs launched at the top of the arc.

This time, the Spurs' short cooperation was actually very conscious. Wenban screened but did not receive the ball directly. The ball was handed to Kelden on the right and then quickly passed to Wenban. However, Adebayor and Harks defended very well. The latter immediately followed Vassell who was cutting in the air, while Adebayor interfered with Wenban's shot.

The Spurs made a change in the second half of the final quarter. Barnes stood in the middle but did not directly launch a personal attack. After passing the ball to Vassell, he quickly adjusted his position to the baseline, and then slipped into the penalty area to beat Harks and successfully scored at the basket.

Even after Wenban returned to the court, the Spurs resolutely asked Barnes to respond on the line. After the screen, he held the ball from 45 degrees and cut in. The smaller defensive players on the Heat line could only foul.

But even so, they will still make some mistakes when passing the ball or screening, giving the Heat a chance to steal the ball.

What really changed the trend was probably the Heat's offense: In the second half of the game, the Heat's offense wanted to deal more from the basket, which also gave the Spurs some opportunities to quickly transition.

In the final stage of the game, the Heat's lack of stable scoring ability from the outside gradually emerged. When off-ball tactics were not so easy to develop, Mitchell's two breakthroughs were blocked by Champagne and Wenban respectively.

This also created a wave of Spurs. Although Wenban fell into the trap of the Heat's zone defense in the final quarter, he still contributed a stable performance on the defensive end after returning from the break. The Heat's offense affected their efficiency and layout of the zone defense formation in some rounds, thus giving the Spurs more opportunities for transition and secondary scoring.