10 takeaways from Boston breaking Toronto’s defensive shell

#1 – Queta generated 19 factors by screens

Neemias Queta is likely to be one of the best screener within the NBA in the mean time. A minimum of, taking a look at this chart, he’s the participant with probably the most factors through display screen assists relative to his enjoying time.

Final evening, he helped the Celtics rating 19 factors along with his screens, beginning with the primary bucket: an off-ball stagger for Derrick White, then a re-screen from Queta and, right here you go, an open shot.

I additionally actually like this play, the place he units a primary ghost display screen on the ball that freezes his matchup for a second, then runs towards Sam Hauser for a pindown display screen. And since Jakob Pöltl is late on account of Queta’s velocity and that ghost display screen, Hauser is vast open.

He additionally runs the identical sort of step-up display screen that Luke Kornet was doing, through which he arms off the ball whereas setting a powerful display screen that surprises and traps the defender.

He performed greater than standard final evening as a result of, on prime of his screening, he created additional possessions and was key within the Celtics’ defensive scheme in opposition to Toronto’s sturdy isolation scorers. With him on the courtroom, the Celtics had a substitute for break the Raptors’ defensive shell. The opposite approach was with the stunt beaters.

The Raptors have an aggressive defensive method on drives, as they attempt to shut area as a lot as potential with the closest defender stunting as quickly because the ball-handler assaults the rim. They consider of their guys to remain related to the shooter they depart after which make a tough contest to keep away from open appears… the issue for the Raptors is that the Celtics are stuffed with “stunt beaters.”

Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser are among the many finest gamers to beat a stunt, particularly the primary two as a result of they’ll do a number of issues off the catch. The Celtics ensure that one in every of these gamers is one move away from the ball in order that, in any state of affairs, if the Raptors are too grasping on the closeout, they’ll punish.

What’s superb with these guys is that they’ll do it from very far out. Due to this fact, the closeout turns into much more difficult for the protection and the Celtics get both higher spacing or an open shot from 28 ft.

#3 – Robust shot maker duel

With Brandon Ingram and Jaylen Brown, we knew a shot-making battle was about to happen in Toronto. They each lead their crew’s offense and are the 2 gamers with the largest mid-range quantity after the very distinctive DeMar DeRozan.

The Celtics’ go-to man took seven lengthy mid-ranges however made just one, whereas the previous Pelican went six-for-ten from that zone. However total, they each scored 30 factors on 65% true capturing effectivity.

That they had some one-on-one possessions to spice issues up and delivered nice highlights for the old-school followers who get pleasure from most of these duels.

#4 – Derrick White main the best way

Alongside JB, D-White had a whole lot of accountability offensively with a 30.4% utilization fee, one in every of his highest marks of the season. Towards a protection that tries to remove the paint, White was capable of stay environment friendly because of his bounce photographs.

After a tough first a part of the season, White can lastly belief his shot, and that makes a giant distinction for the crew, particularly in opposition to such a protection. Late within the recreation, it was his capturing that helped give the Celtics the win.

#5 – Coping with Scottie Barnes post-up

When the Celtics went small within the first half, the Raptors obtained again into the sport offensively by utilizing Barnes as a creator. His sturdy body was unimaginable to cope with for the Celtics one-on-one. Each Josh Minott and Jordan Walsh obtained bullied by the previous Rookie of the Yr.

The Celtics then went with Hugo Gonzalez on him, and so they began sending extra assist, opening passing alternatives on the rim or above the three-point line.

That is the place Neemias Queta’s rim safety got here into play. He was used rather a lot as the protection when Barnes was attacking the Celtics’ wings. Within the second half, the Celtics did a greater job of overloading the facet of the ground the place Scottie had the ball to drive him to make a tough move or retreat.

Within the second half, he was restricted to solely two free throws and 7 factors, and dedicated two turnovers in virtually 20 minutes.

#6 – Restricted the Raptors to fifteen factors within the final 10

After capitalizing on a powerful run, the Raptors had been again within the recreation with 10 minutes to go. The Celtics modified their method to raised shield the paint and determined to stay with the capturing variance from past the arc.

They pressured the Raptors to kick the ball out and belief their shooters, with eight three-pointers tried over the ultimate 10 minutes, however just one went in. By forcing the photographs the Raptors didn’t need and securing rebounds, the Celtics had been capable of play off misses and finally take management of the sport.

As Walsh fouled out, Sam Hauser got here again into the sport and the Raptors discovered a niche within the protection once more, however it was too late.

#7 – Sam Hauser was focused all evening

The Raptors, equally to the Celtics, prefer to hunt mismatches. With Ingram or Barnes, they went after his lack of measurement. With Jamal Shead or Immanuel Quickley, they focused his lateral velocity.

As Hauser typically performs with the small-ball bench models, the Celtics have extra problem hiding him as a result of they swap often and lack measurement behind him to guard the rim.

On the identical time, Hauser is vital to the small-ball lineup as a result of he offers the spacing that’s required alongside Josh Minott, Anfernee Simons, Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman. Discovering the proper steadiness is tough, however it is likely to be finest to pair him extra typically with Queta so the Portuguese massive man can cowl for him defensively.

Hauser wasn’t the one one who struggled in the course of the bench minutes final evening. Towards a powerful and aggressive Raptors second unit, each Josh Minott and Anfernee Simons struggled to impression the sport positively.

Minott couldn’t maintain his floor defensively as he normally does, and Simons scored 12 factors with a problematic 0.85 points-per-shot effectivity.

Hugo introduced a small spark with two made photographs in two minutes, together with some defensive exercise in opposition to Scottie Barnes.

#9 – The Celtics beginning 5 dominating the glass

With the present beginning lineup, the Celtics appear to have discovered a system to dominate the boards on each ends of the ground. Once they share the courtroom, Pritchard, White, Brown and Walsh seize offensive rebounds on 35.3% of alternatives, whereas holding opponents to 25.4%.

After a begin to the season through which defensive rebounding was a serious weak point, the Celtics seem to have discovered an answer.

The Celtics have the third-best web score within the Jap Convention and rank sixth within the NBA. What if, after a couple of trades (Myles Turner for Anfernee Simons?) and Jayson Tatum’s return (after the All-Star break?), the Celtics really had an opportunity to compete for a spot within the NBA Finals?