#1 – Boston discover area in New York
The spacing was problematic throughout the first video games of the sequence, however the Celtics teaching employees had the assets to repair it — and so they did. Spacing isn’t solely about area; it’s about who’s occupying which a part of the court docket. The final drive of the primary half is a good instance of how little element adjustments can optimize the spacing.
First, you’ve got Jayson Tatum on the wing, one cross away from the ball on the suitable. All particulars matter. Having him one cross away forces OG Anunoby — the most effective stunt defender on the Knicks — to be dragged away on account of Tatum’s gravity. As a result of he’s on the suitable, that opens Brown’s greatest hand.
Derrick White is deep within the reverse nook to pull Mikal Bridges away too, so Karl-Anthony Cities is on an island. The final twist comes from Payton Pritchard’s positioning. He’s within the nook, on the facet of Brown’s sturdy hand. That is key as a result of it makes Jalen Brunson the low man within the Knicks protection — not supreme.
At first, this may not look very totally different from the earlier recreation, however there’s a enormous enchancment in spacing. Because of that, the Celtics have been capable of create extra photographs on the rim from half-court conditions.
They ended up with a 37% rim frequency, much better than the 25% common since they began the sequence towards the Knicks.
#2 – Jaylen Brown post-up touches
Whereas the spacing appeared higher, the Celtics additionally used what made them nice throughout the common season: the post-up — particularly with Jaylen Brown.
Publish-up touches will be powerful for defenses to cope with as a result of they power assist in conditions the place defenders aren’t positioned as they normally are. Right here, for instance, take a look at Mitchell Robinson’s and OG Anunoby’s eye orientation and positioning. They’re near the paint and going through the ball, leaving a defender behind them.
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Due to Brown’s scoring gravity from the post-up, it attracts defenders and forces them into conditions the place they will’t cowl the ball, the basket, and their project. Right here, due to Brown’s place vs. Brunson, the defensive construction is damaged and that opens a 3-pointer.
The Knicks have been actually puzzled by this offensive strategy as a result of they couldn’t use their wing size as they normally do. On this different play, Bridges and Josh Hart are drawn so deep into the paint that each Kristaps Porzingis and Pritchard are left open from three.
The explanation Brown has such gravity on these post-up touches is his capability to attain or draw a foul from these positions. He was one of the environment friendly post-up gamers within the NBA this season. Right here, he will get deep place after setting a display screen and scores over Bridges.
Nice use of an offensive strategy that we didn’t see sufficient within the first two video games.
#3 – Payton Pritchard scoring explosion
When the Celtics wanted it essentially the most, going through a 3-0, Payton Pritchard delivered what might need been the most effective Playoffs recreation of his profession. He performed greater than half-hour, scored 23 factors on good effectivity, and delivered two assists. His gravity and capturing exercise helped enhance the spacing. A flexible and impactful efficiency.
Versatile as a result of he wasn’t solely on the receiving finish of offensive creation — he was a part of it, typically even the initiator. Like his teammates, Payton can hunt mismatches. He attacked Mitchell Robinson to punish the Knicks’ switches. His capability to shoot off the dribble makes it powerful for the middle to remain related, and he was capable of rating with a phenomenal step-back past the arc.
He was dynamic — like within the play beneath, the place he catches the ball and drives immediately. That’s very sensible, as a result of he punishes Miles McBride’s assist positioning. Together with his capturing gravity and deal with, he can adapt to the protection’s closeout and assault the weak spot. Right here, he sees a gap for a drive. Watch how he occasions his dribbles and steps — McBride doesn’t know if he’s about to shoot or drive and might’t include him. As soon as within the paint, he fakes two gamers and creates an open lay-up for himself.
Towards Brunson, his drives will be very helpful as a result of they collapse the protection across the guard and depart different gamers open — like right here, with Brown.
Nice efficiency from the Sixth Man of the 12 months, who helped the Celtics discover hope in New York.
#4 – Attempting to get Porzingis going
The Celtics are going through fairly the dilemma with KP. The workforce is structurally at its greatest when he’s on the ground. The spacing and rim safety — two of a very powerful parts in fashionable basketball — are optimized with him on the court docket, regardless of how he’s carried out. His dimension, size, and positioning will at all times make issues troublesome for opponents. Offensively, groups by no means depart him open, which creates area for his 4 teammates.
But, the Celtics additionally want him to carry out individually and be capable to do greater than carry structural worth. To win this matchup, they want him to attain and impression the sport with the ball in his fingers. Due to this fact, regardless of combined outcomes to this point within the Playoffs, they stored attempting. Offensively, the purpose is both to get him shifting on the roll or to get a mismatch deep within the publish.
The purpose of discovering deep place within the publish — fairly than the excessive publish — is as a result of defenses are actually pleased to concede lengthy contested mid-ranges from the Latvian massive man, even towards a degree guard.
On the roll, he can nonetheless be impactful as a result of he’s simple to focus on with a cross above the protection. He’s sensible sufficient to both cross or end relying on the state of affairs. On the instance right here, he finds Luke Kornet from the quick roll after a well-executed pick-and-roll.
Solely 18 minutes, sure, and no buckets scored. However however, his impression stays essential for the Celtics’ offensive and defensive construction and offers Al Horford and Kornet time to relaxation. Getting him again in control could be the important thing that opens the door to the subsequent spherical.
#5 – Taking part in off transition
The Celtics’ defensive exercise and focus felt higher than within the first two video games — particularly from Jaylen Brown. This gave the Celtics extra alternatives in transition. Off live-ball turnovers or offensive rebounds, they have been lethal on the break.
Per Cleansing the Glass, Boston scored 2.25 factors per possession in transition — an incredible signal of their dedication to win the margins and capitalize on their good protection.
#6 – Making the most of the drop
All of the Knicks followers I talked to don’t perceive why, at occasions on this sequence, the Knicks are asking Karl-Anthony Cities to drop as a substitute of swap. Perhaps they wished to dare Jayson Tatum to shoot 3-pointers? Properly — unfortunate for them, as a result of he was comfy from the pull-up place yesterday.
The Knicks’ middle began in a drop place, and it’s simple to see that Tatum acknowledged it rapidly and didn’t hesitate. On the play beneath, with two screens on the ball for him, he sees KAT’s positioning and instantly pulls up from three due to all of the area he has.
You could possibly ponder whether that was a tactical adjustment or only a lack of focus and vitality from the middle. On one other play later within the recreation, when he’s once more in drop protection, OG Anunoby appears determined and alerts to KAT that he ought to have been greater after the display screen.
Whereas the 3-pointers have been falling for Jayson Tatum, a drive was nonetheless lacking.
#7 – No half-court lay-up for JT
Issues about Tatum’s lack of rim stress are nonetheless right here after Sport 3, the place his solely lay-ups got here from transition or putback conditions. Regardless of higher spacing, he targeted extra on his bounce photographs, with 9 makes an attempt from past the arc and 5 from mid-range.
The three different makes an attempt on the rim have been missed, and it left me questioning if his wrist damage is bothering his driving recreation greater than his bounce shot. Let’s see how the sequence unfolds for him — however his incapability to place stress on the rim to this point has been regarding.
#8 – Celtics pick-and-roll protection
Boston’s incapability to decelerate the Jalen Brunson pick-and-rolls with Josh Hart was a bit alarming. This isn’t the primary time I’ve seen how the Celtics typically wrestle on the pick-and-roll when there’s no massive on the low man place.
Within the first instance, the Knicks run an empty facet pick-and-roll, and the swap isn’t properly executed. This leaves Hart rolling free to the rim, and nobody on the weak facet comes to assist. Pritchard and Brown are too near their matchup — and the identical goes for JT.
Later within the recreation, one other regarding possession on the identical pick-and-roll — this time in the midst of the court docket. Al Horford is in drop protection, however no person tags the roll man, so Hart as soon as once more cuts to the rim with out being bothered.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to watch whether or not the Knicks insist on this offensive play to show Boston’s defensive limitations — and the way the Celtics will adapt.
#9 – Spectacular rim safety
Regardless of a couple of defensive collapses, the Celtics did a powerful job defending the paint. The Knicks have been restricted to 44% effectivity on the rim — one in all their worst marks of the season.
The Celtics have been capable of punish the Knicks for continually having a non-shooting menace on the ground — whether or not Mitchell Robinson or Josh Hart. That allowed them to make use of Porzingis, Kornet, or Horford as a paint security and shield the rim.
That’s additionally why the Knicks may run extra pick-and-rolls with their non-shooters subsequent recreation — to power the Celtics’ bigs away from the paint.
#10 – Fourth-quarter PTSD
I’ve to confess, I didn’t really feel secure within the fourth quarter when the Knicks have been closing the hole and decreasing the result in 20. This matchup — due to the primary two video games — won’t ever really feel secure.
