#1 – Aiming for weaknesses
Coming into the sport, the Washington Wizards have been twenty sixth at limiting pictures on the rim and final at defending the defensive rebound. So the Celtics simply went for the paint and made positive they put strain on the Wizards’ defensive frontcourt.
Total, by the tip, the Celtics created 19 extra possessions due to offensive rebounds. Like Joe Mazzulla stated after the sport, you don’t need to rely solely on offensive rebounds, nevertheless it should be managed, particularly on an evening the place the bounce pictures weren’t getting in.
#2 – Neemias Queta eruption to get going
To start out issues off properly, Queta determined to roll over your entire Wizards protection. He grabbed loads of offensive rebounds and scored from putback conditions, however the Celtics teaching employees additionally made positive to attract performs for him. Right here, a Spain pick-and-roll the place Sam Hauser units the back-screen that blocks Alex Sarr. With Derrick White and Jayson Tatum in every nook, Queta has all of the house he wants to complete on the rim.
It felt like he was at all times positioned in the correct place on the proper time. On this lovely drive and dish from Jaylen Brown, he arrives with excellent timing to position his layup. He additionally confirmed that he has developed a pleasant contact on the floater.
Like usually, the house he was in a position to make use of was created by his capacity to display and roll. On that possession, he understands that the Wizards are switching and places his defender on his again to have a greater likelihood to catch the ball on the roll. Then he used the scale benefit to dominate on the rim.
#3 – 12 minutes to place the Wizards away
Wanting again on the sport, it felt just like the Celtics have been largely in management getting into the 4th quarter. The 20-point lead felt pure, however in actuality the Celtics solely dominated the 2nd quarter – nevertheless it was sufficient.
They began the second quarter with an fascinating play that concerned 4 totally different gamers, with a primary motion beginning with Payton Pritchard on the ball, then a second motion beginning with Derrick White working towards the ball and Luka Garza.
This motion across the three-point line created chaos and house so the Celtics might as soon as once more assault the rim. Throughout that stretch, the Celtics additionally dominated on protection, resulting in loads of transitions. This gave us some nice highlights like this spin transfer from Queta, who was unstoppable final night time.
This nice momentum over these 12 minutes was sufficient to stay in management within the second half regardless of shedding it 59 to 47.
There have been questions in regards to the Celtics’ stability with the return of Jayson Tatum. Final night time’s sport was an important show that there’s sufficient room for everybody on a successful group.
No person took greater than 20 pictures, however six gamers scored a minimum of 15 factors and 7 tried eight area objectives or extra. There have been additionally eight gamers with a number of assists, exhibiting that the ball strikes and everyone seems to be concerned.
However the scoring wasn’t solely balanced player-wise. The Celtics additionally confirmed a really versatile efficiency by way of capturing profile: 19 area objectives made on the rim, 10 from the mid-range, and 12 past the road.
With the bounce pictures not falling, the Celtics didn’t get caught within the mud and tailored. They have been capable of rating loads from putback conditions, turning misses into new possessions, like Baylor Scheierman and his seven missed pictures however 4 offensive rebounds.
#5 – Baylor really feel was exhibiting
Scheierman is amongst these gamers the place you’ll be able to see the sport slowing down for him, so he’s usually a step forward. This play with Sam Hauser is a superb instance of that really feel for the sport. He appears like he acquired caught, however he is aware of the place Sam is situated and finds him with out even him beforehand.
His really feel is clear on a spotlight like this one however could be seen in much less flashy conditions too. His understanding of the sport makes him an excellent offensive rebounder. Because the Celtics needed to dominate that side of the sport, they relied on him to place strain on his matchup anytime a shot was triggered by certainly one of his teammates.
It’s not a shock that he retains being the participant with essentially the most minutes behind the core six-man rotation late within the season.
#6 – Off-ball Tatum is a win-win
To get again to his closing type, Jayson will want time, however his affect on a protection construction is already again. When he’s off the ball, the protection nonetheless feels his gravity, which supplies nice house to his teammates. Nevertheless it additionally provides him extra pace. Whereas he’s getting again in form and studying the way to belief his legs once more, having him off the ball to start out the play can profit him and make him a much bigger menace.
On high of the pace, having him off the ball is an effective way to optimize his capturing menace. When he doesn’t have the rock, the protection nonetheless retains a watch on him. And as quickly as he receives the ball, there are speedy collapses as a result of the menace couldn’t be higher than Jayson Tatum with the rock and house.
On the play above, as quickly because the basketball touches his arms, two defenders run to him, leaving White within the nook, and JT doesn’t hesitate for a second to swing the ball. An awesome instance of why Tatum isn’t breaking the Celtics’ stability – he brings much more gravity and extra connectivity to take advantage of defensive errors.
After all, we would like Tatum to play his isolation, however the impression he already has on the court docket when he doesn’t have the ball is again to elite – resulting in nice possessions for the group.
#7 – Tatum and Queta relationship
Talking of Tatum, his relationship with Queta within the pick-and-roll has been rising by means of these first 4 video games. And this is perhaps a key to the Celtics’ success this season. When the offense was caught final 12 months, the Celtics didn’t hesitate to spam Tatum and Kornet pick-and-rolls. They might be doing the identical this 12 months with Queta.
The standard of Queta’s screens and his capacity to play as a hub on offense provide loads of potentialities for the Celtics to construct round this duo.
On high of the advantages for them, this additionally creates nice alternatives for the three different gamers round them, like right here on that White triple.
It’s the identical play that gave a layup to Queta, however this time the protection put extra our bodies within the paint, resulting in a go to Hauser. Tre Johnson rotates and that leaves White open within the nook. That is all attributable to the pick-and-roll led by Tatum and Queta.
#8 – May Tristan Vukčević be an fascinating pick-up?
If there may be one factor we discovered over the past 12 months, it’s that the Celtics can flip a middle on a two-way contract right into a starter on a aggressive group – and after watching this final sport, I’m wondering if Tristan Vukčević might be the subsequent one.
He has been out and in of the rotation for the Wizards over the past three years however might deliver some fascinating upside to the Celtics’ inside rotation. He has an important contact and we all know how a lot Brad Stevens loves a middle who can shoot.
Ideas on the Serbian middle?
#9 – There may be at all times room to be higher
I is perhaps overthinking right here however aren’t there at all times methods to enhance, even in a sport the place you had a 30-point lead? Nicely, final night time’s sport there may be an space the place the Celtics ought to have been higher: transition protection.
The Wizards had a 1.63 points-per-possession effectivity in transition and this might be expensive in opposition to higher groups. Whereas this is perhaps on account of an absence of seriousness due to the standard of the opponent, it might additionally occur in opposition to extra aggressive groups. With gamers crashing the offensive glass, there could be some lapses within the protection when the tagging-up isn’t effectively coordinated.
May very well be price monitoring in opposition to higher groups coming to city over the subsequent few weeks.
#10 – Some French affect in Boston?
Earlier than the sport, Joe Mazzulla talked about his assembly with Guillaume Vizade, Le Mans Basket head coach. They met again in France this summer time and Mazzulla stated he discovered from the time they spent collectively. May France have an affect on the Celtics’ new playstyle? Extra on that quickly…
