#1 – Boston discover house in New York
The spacing was problematic throughout the first video games of the collection, however the Celtics teaching workers had the assets to repair it — they usually did. Spacing isn’t solely about house; 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 move away from the ball on the correct. All particulars matter. Having him one move away forces OG Anunoby — one of the best stunt defender on the Knicks — to be dragged away attributable to Tatum’s gravity. As a result of he’s on the correct, that opens Brown’s finest hand.
Derrick White is deep within the reverse nook to tug 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 aspect of Brown’s sturdy hand. That is key as a result of it makes Jalen Brunson the low man within the Knicks protection — not excellent.
At first, this may not look very totally different from the earlier sport, however there’s a large enchancment in spacing. Due to that, the Celtics have been capable of create extra pictures 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 collection in opposition to 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.
Submit-up touches may be robust for defenses to take care of as a result of they pressure assist in conditions the place defenders aren’t positioned as they often are. Right here, for instance, have 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 method as a result of they couldn’t use their wing size as they often 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 potential to attain or draw a foul from these positions. He was some 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 method 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 may need been one of the best Playoffs sport 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 potential to shoot off the dribble makes it robust for the middle to remain related, and he was capable of rating with an exquisite step-back past the arc.
He was dynamic — like within the play under, the place he catches the ball and drives immediately. That’s very good, 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 comprise him. As soon as within the paint, he fakes two gamers and creates an open lay-up for himself.
In opposition to Brunson, his drives may be very helpful as a result of they collapse the protection across the guard and go away different gamers open — like right here, with Brown.
Nice efficiency from the Sixth Man of the Yr, 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 crew is structurally at its finest 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 measurement, size, and positioning will at all times make issues tough for opponents. Offensively, groups by no means go away him open, which creates house for his 4 teammates.
But, the Celtics additionally want him to carry out individually and have the ability to do greater than carry structural worth. To win this matchup, they want him to attain and affect the sport with the ball in his palms. Subsequently, regardless of blended outcomes to this point within the Playoffs, they saved attempting. Offensively, the purpose is both to get him shifting on the roll or to get a mismatch deep within the submit.
The purpose of discovering deep place within the submit — relatively than the excessive submit — is as a result of defenses at the moment are glad to concede lengthy contested mid-ranges from the Latvian large man, even in opposition to a degree guard.
On the roll, he can nonetheless be impactful as a result of he’s simple to focus on with a move above the protection. He’s good sufficient to both move or end relying on the state of affairs. On the instance right here, he finds Luke Kornet from the brief roll after a well-executed pick-and-roll.
Solely 18 minutes, sure, and no buckets scored. However nonetheless, his affect stays necessary 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 following spherical.
#5 – Enjoying 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 — a fantastic signal of their willpower 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 collection, the Knicks are asking Karl-Anthony Cities to drop as a substitute of change. Possibly they wished to dare Jayson Tatum to shoot 3-pointers? Nicely — unfortunate for them, as a result of he was snug 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 under, with two screens on the ball for him, he sees KAT’s positioning and instantly pulls up from three due to all of the house he has.
You could possibly ponder whether that was a tactical adjustment or only a lack of focus and power from the middle. On one other play later within the sport, when he’s once more in drop protection, OG Anunoby appears determined and indicators 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
Considerations about Tatum’s lack of rim stress are nonetheless right here after Recreation 3, the place his solely lay-ups got here from transition or putback conditions. Regardless of higher spacing, he centered extra on his soar pictures, 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 harm is bothering his driving sport greater than his soar shot. Let’s see how the collection unfolds for him — however his incapacity to place stress on the rim to this point has been regarding.
#8 – Celtics pick-and-roll protection
Boston’s incapacity to decelerate the Jalen Brunson pick-and-rolls with Josh Hart was a bit alarming. This isn’t the primary time I’ve observed how the Celtics typically wrestle on the pick-and-roll when there’s no large on the low man place.
Within the first instance, the Knicks run an empty aspect pick-and-roll, and the change isn’t properly executed. This leaves Hart rolling free to the rim, and nobody on the weak aspect comes to assist. Pritchard and Brown are too near their matchup — and the identical goes for JT.
Later within the sport, one other regarding possession on the identical pick-and-roll — this time in the course of the court docket. Al Horford is in drop protection, however no one tags the roll man, so Hart as soon as once more cuts to the rim with out being bothered.
It’ll be fascinating to observe 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 number of defensive collapses, the Celtics did a formidable job defending the paint. The Knicks have been restricted to 44% effectivity on the rim — considered one of their worst marks of the season.
The Celtics have been capable of punish the Knicks for continuously 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 defend the rim.
That’s additionally why the Knicks may run extra pick-and-rolls with their non-shooters subsequent sport — to pressure 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 lowering the result in 20. This matchup — due to the primary two video games — won’t ever really feel secure.
