Joe Mazzulla previews Celtics-Knicks playoff matchup and keys to limiting Jalen Brunson

The Celtics are set to face the Knicks within the second spherical of the NBA playoffs, and although the Celtics swept the four-game matchup within the common season, Joe Mazzulla informed reporters that doesn’t essentially put them better off heading into the postseason.

“Each sport takes on a lifetime of its personal,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Each collection takes on a lifetime of its personal. Proper now, the collection is 0-0. It’s two good groups on the point of play.”

Derrick White echoed his coach’s sentiments: “All the pieces we did within the common season doesn’t actually imply an entire lot.”

The Celtics head coach made clear that after once more, the playoff collection will come right down to the margins.

“You may have to have the ability to defend with out fouling, rebound, handle the ball, execute, be capable to get to completely different stuff defensively, due to their capability to place strain on the rim and get nice photographs,” he mentioned.

New York’s largest offensive weapons

The Knicks’ offense might be a change of tempo from the Celtics’ first-round collection towards Orlando. The Knicks had the fifth-best offensive score in the course of the common season (117.3) whereas the Magic had the Twenty seventh-best score (109.1).

“Their offensive numbers are higher,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Their capability to vary defenses is sweet. They’ve two guys that may rating in any respect three ranges. They bought function guys that might actually impression the sport.”

The Knicks had 5 gamers common within the double-figures of their six-game first-round playoff collection towards the Detroit Pistons: Jalen Brunson (31.5 factors), Karl Anthony-Cities (19.7 factors), OG Anunoby (17.3 factors), Mikal Bridges (16.2 factors), and Josh Hart (11.8 factors).

“Nice coach, nice depth, nice workforce,” Mazzulla mentioned. “You see what they’ve been capable of do over the course of the season, and within the playoffs to this point, with their two guys — but in addition the way in which that the others are capable of impression the sport.”

Whereas New York was swept by Boston in the course of the season, they nonetheless had the league’s fifth-best document in the course of the common season, ending the yr 51-31.

“It’s the playoffs,” White mentioned. “They’re right here for a cause. They’re actually good workforce, and it’s gonna be a giant problem.”

The problem of limiting Jalen Brunson

Mazzulla acknowledges that limiting Jalen Brunson may very well be one of many collection’s best challenges. Brunson, who was named the NBA’s Clutch Participant of the 12 months, has shouldered the offensive load down for the Knicks down the stretch of video games, exploding for 40 factors within the clinching Recreation 6, plus the game-winner.

Brunson averaged 31.5 factors (on 43.6% taking pictures and 33.3% from three) alongside 8.2 assists and 4 rebounds within the first spherical of the playoffs towards Detroit, and Mazzulla mentioned that limiting him might be a full-team effort.

“You may’t do it with one man, proper?” he mentioned. “It takes a workforce — takes completely different matchups, takes completely different coverages, however there’s bought to be a degree of physicality, a degree of self-discipline, a degree of consideration to element on tendencies on the identical time.”

A few of Brunson’s scoring is controllable, Mazzulla mentioned, however some, the Celtics will simply need to reside with.

“Should you add up all of the factors, there are a selection of factors to which you’ll work to be disciplined and work to regulate,” he mentioned. “On the identical time, he’s an ideal participant, and he’s going to make performs.”

Jrue Vacation stays day-to-day with hamstring harm

Mazzulla mentioned that Jrue Vacation, who has missed the final three video games with a hamstring pressure, stays day-to-day.

So a return for Monday’s Recreation 1 towards the Knicks shouldn’t be out of the query.

Within the meantime, Vacation and the remainder of the Celtics are nonetheless utilizing the time to organize for the subsequent spherical, no matter whether or not or not they’re really training.

“There’s all the time methods to get higher, whether or not it’s on the follow courtroom, whether or not it’s within the movie room, whether or not it’s on walkthroughs, whether or not it’s getting up and down,” Mazzulla mentioned. “You simply need to take it, benefit from all of the methods you could possibly be taught and institute a sport plan. It’s the playoffs. Nobody’s 100%.”

Because the Celtics put together for the subsequent spherical, the message stays the identical regardless of the altering opponent.

“You continue to need to rebound, you must handle the basketball,” Mazzulla mentioned. “You may have to have the ability to defend with out fouling. It’s a must to execute. It’s a must to set good screens. It’s a must to dash in transition. It’s a must to get to the corners. It’s a must to dash again. It’s a must to hold it 5-on-5. It’s a must to shield the paint. Must field out. All these particulars are tremendous necessary.”