#1 – Boston discover area in New York
The spacing was problematic through the first video games of the sequence, however the Celtics teaching employees had the sources 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 superb instance of how little element modifications can optimize the spacing.
First, you’ve got Jayson Tatum on the wing, one cross away from the ball on the best. All particulars matter. Having him one cross away forces OG Anunoby — the perfect stunt defender on the Knicks — to be dragged away as a result of Tatum’s gravity. As a result of he’s on the best, 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 robust hand. That is key as a result of it makes Jalen Brunson the low man within the Knicks protection — not perfect.
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 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 sequence in opposition to the Knicks.
#2 – Jaylen Brown post-up touches
Whereas the spacing appeared higher, the Celtics additionally used what made them nice through the common season: the post-up — particularly with Jaylen Brown.
Publish-up touches might 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, 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.
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 task. 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 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 capability to attain or draw a foul from these positions. He was one of the crucial environment friendly post-up gamers within the NBA this season. Right here, he will get deep place after setting a display 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 probably the most, going through a 3-0, Payton Pritchard delivered what might need been the perfect 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, generally 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 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 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 may’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 might 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 Yr, who helped the Celtics discover hope in New York.
#4 – Making an attempt 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 crucial elements in fashionable basketball — are optimized with him on the court docket, regardless of how he’s carried out. His measurement, size, and positioning will all the time make issues tough 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 deliver structural worth. To win this matchup, they want him to attain and influence the sport with the ball in his arms. Subsequently, regardless of blended outcomes to this point within the Playoffs, they stored attempting. Offensively, the aim is both to get him transferring on the roll or to get a mismatch deep within the submit.
The aim of discovering deep place within the submit — slightly than the excessive submit — is as a result of defenses at the moment are joyful to concede lengthy contested mid-ranges from the Latvian huge man, even in opposition to some extent guard.
On the roll, he can nonetheless be impactful as a result of he’s straightforward 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 brief roll after a well-executed pick-and-roll.
Solely 18 minutes, sure, and no buckets scored. However however, his influence stays vital for the Celtics’ offensive and defensive construction and offers Al Horford and Kornet time to relaxation. Getting him again on top of things could be the important thing that opens the door to the following 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 — a terrific signal of their willpower to win the margins and capitalize on their good protection.
#6 – Benefiting from 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 an alternative of swap. Perhaps they wished to dare Jayson Tatum to shoot 3-pointers? Effectively — unfortunate for them, as a result of he was snug from the pull-up place yesterday.
The Knicks’ heart began in a drop place, and it’s straightforward to see that Tatum acknowledged it shortly 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 area he has.
You can wonder if that was a tactical adjustment or only a lack of focus and power 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 larger after the display.
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 strain 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 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 recreation greater than his bounce shot. Let’s see how the sequence unfolds for him — however his incapacity to place strain 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 seen how the Celtics generally wrestle on the pick-and-roll when there’s no huge on the low man place.
Within the first instance, the Knicks run an empty aspect pick-and-roll, and the swap 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 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 reveal 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 formidable job defending the paint. The Knicks have been restricted to 44% effectivity on the rim — certainly one of their worst marks of the season.
The Celtics have been capable of punish the Knicks for always having a non-shooting risk 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 recreation — 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.
