Celtics-Magic preview: solving Orlando’s puzzle

Orlando’s protection gave the Celtics hassle in the course of the common season, crowding passing lanes and breaking their rhythm. With a playoff conflict on the horizon, Boston might want to regulate its spacing, timing, and court docket mapping to regain management.

The Boston Celtics spacing is likely one of the greatest in league historical past since Brad Stevens went all-in in the summertime of 2023 and traded for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation. With these adjustments to the roster, Joe Mazzulla and his teaching workers designed elite spacing. Due to a number of gamers who can shoot from deep and assault the rim off the dribble, the Celtics stretch defenses and pressure them to select between two poisons—assist and depart the three-point line open, or keep house and get overwhelmed one-on-one.

But, all through this season, the spacing has been much less unrelenting. Groups just like the Grizzlies and the Cavaliers have determined to depart Jrue Vacation open and prioritize rim safety. Different defenses have taken a distinct route, being extraordinarily aggressive on the ball handler and the passing lanes—just like the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and the Celtics’ first spherical opponent, the Orlando Magic.

With this strategy, the Magic have been in a position to disrupt two of the Celtics’ largest offensive strengths: capturing threes and caring for the ball. However how are the Magic in a position to do it, and what can the Celtics do to show it round? Let’s dive into the movie and discover out.

Suffocating protection

In December, the Celtics confronted the Magic down in Florida and struggled mightily on offense. Sure, Jayson Tatum was out, however Jamahl Mosley’s defensive recreation plan was on level and compelled the Celtics into giveaways. With their protection, the Magic have been in a position to constrain the Celtics to play otherwise than they often do. By pressuring the ball and consuming up house, Orlando had an amazing impression:

13 assists (vs. 26 on common)
38 potential assists (vs. 48 on common)
1 secondary help (vs. 4 on common)
246 passes (vs. 274 on common)
19 catch-and-shoot makes an attempt (vs. 32 on common)

In that recreation, the Celtics couldn’t transfer the ball the best way they often do as a result of the Magic took each alternative to make passes tough, continuously playing on passing lanes.

Not solely did they put heavy stress on the ball handler, however additionally they fought arduous to get round screens and stayed energetic, forcing the Celtics to execute their actions with precision. On the play beneath, Jrue Vacation takes only a bit too lengthy to ship the ball to Jaylen Brown, giving Trevelin Queen time to get round Al Horford and steal it.

On prime of being aggressive on the ball and in passing lanes, the Magic make very deliberate selections. They’d reasonably depart Jrue Vacation or Al Horford open within the corners and stunt arduous on the drive. With their size and mobility, they will cowl plenty of floor and prioritize ball stress as a result of they’ve gamers who may help on the drive and get better in time to contest photographs.

They combine zone protection with particular person matchups to occupy house as effectively as potential. On the play beneath, they’re prepared to depart Goga Bitadze masking two gamers on the weak facet so Kentavious Caldwell-Pope might be the low man, whereas Jalen Suggs fronts Porzingis to disrupt the entry go.

The Orlando Magic consider they will shut house rapidly and prioritize pressuring the ball to make ball motion tough. So, what can the Celtics do to beat this sort of defensive strategy?

Celtics keys to open the magic doorways

One of many first choices is to assault the center—by way of quick rolls and high-post offense from the elbow. For the reason that Magic put plenty of stress on the ball and are prepared to depart gamers open to guard the rim, there’s house between their defensive strains.

With Al Horford, Luke Kornet, Jrue Vacation, Derrick White, and Jayson Tatum, the Celtics have a number of gamers who can function successfully from that zone—appearing as connectors to take advantage of these pockets of house.

Relying on the Magic’s lineup, the Celtics may hunt mismatches. Cole Anthony is the plain goal, and he ought to play important minutes with Jalen Suggs out. Within the January recreation at TD Backyard, the Celtics remoted Anthony with sensible court docket mapping. The Magic couldn’t carry assist to Tatum’s post-up as a result of Jrue Vacation was one go away as a substitute of being on the weak facet. On the weak facet, the menace stage was too excessive to depart unguarded, which created a straightforward one-on-one for Tatum.

Court docket mapping shall be key to breaking the Magic’s defensive construction. The Celtics must optimize spacing with their shooters and be intentional about the place they set screens and place gamers. With sensible geometry—like utilizing open-side actions—they will stop the Magic from settling into their traditional assist positioning and break the defensive strains.

What the Celtics might do to interrupt the strains is to chop in between these defensive strains. Motion might create a small breakdown inside the defensive shell, and the Celtics might want to make the most of it.

With a lower between the 2 strains, Jrue Vacation triggered a response from Paolo Banchero. The lower, alongside Kristaps Porzingis’ gravity, put the protection below stress and triggered errors from the younger Magic workforce.

Due to the Magic’s defensive strategy, the Celtics might want to create pockets of house to provide their offense respiration room and execute their recreation plan. Nonetheless, be mindful: the Magic are a novel protection with a unusual fashion. Don’t be stunned if we see an uncommon Celtics offense in response.

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