#1 – The Boston Celtics tried to match the Chicago Bulls’ tempo
Up to now this season, the Bulls are the quickest staff within the NBA. After a made basket by their opponents, Bulls’ possessions final 15.5 seconds on common, in comparison with the league common of 17.3 seconds and the Celtics’ 17.9 seconds. Towards the reigning NBA champions, Billy Donovan’s staff knew they wanted to push the tempo even more durable—and so they did.
After Celtics’ made photographs, the Bulls averaged 14.6 seconds per possession. They aimed to disrupt Boston’s protection by working extra and stopping the Celtics from establishing their standard schemes. The Bulls’ 129 factors recommend this technique labored. Nonetheless, the Celtics additionally accelerated their tempo.
Joe Mazzulla’s staff mirrored the Bulls’ method, shortening their possessions by a mean of 1.5 seconds after made baskets. By matching the Bulls’ tempo whereas leveraging their superior expertise, the Celtics scored 139 factors—their second-highest output this season.
Whereas the Bulls use pace to compensate for an absence of expertise, the Celtics tailored and proved their versatility, finally prevailing with their superior ability and adaptableness.
#2 – Jayson Tatum’s effectivity masterclass
With solely 18 subject aim makes an attempt, Jayson Tatum scored 35 factors. He took only one mid-range shot, focusing as a substitute on threes and photographs on the rim. The Bulls had no solutions. Their lack of rim safety was evident on this drive: Tatum posted up Lonzo Ball, drove to the rim, and Vucevic barely contested him.
The Bulls’ protection struggled much more after they went small, leaving Josh Giddey to protect Tatum. Tatum’s ending on the rim, now at 79% this season, continues to enhance. On this play, he remained calm, composed, and picked up, demonstrating why his effectivity has reached new heights. His jumper additionally seems to be as sharp as ever.
Whether or not the Bulls dropped or switched on pick-and-rolls, Tatum’s deadly pull-ups made life not possible for his or her protection.
They merely had no reply for his scoring brilliance.
#3 – Higher spacing opens up the rim
The Celtics tried 30 photographs on the rim final night time, changing 74%—a uncommon incidence for this staff. Kristaps Porziņģis performed a big function in creating this dynamic.
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By positioning Jrue Vacation and Jaylen Brown within the corners in opposition to weaker defenders like Zach LaVine and Coby White, the Celtics restricted the Bulls’ defensive rotations. This additionally compelled Nikola Vucevic into actions he wasn’t snug with.
The Celtics’ use of screens and switches put the Bulls in lose-lose conditions. When the Bulls adjusted to contest threes, Boston shifted to attacking the rim, showcasing their means to adapt.
#4 – Payton Pritchard’s unconscious fourth-quarter run
In simply 5 minutes, Payton Pritchard scored 19 factors—a efficiency for the ages. The range in his scoring actions was outstanding.
After hitting a spot-up three, he set a ghost display screen for Jaylen Brown, freezing the Bulls’ protection and creating one other open three.
Subsequent, he drove previous Josh Giddey, utilizing completely timed steps to keep away from the protection and end on the rim with composure.
He additionally delivered spotlight performs, like this step-back jumper after almost shedding his stability:
Pritchard completed with 29 factors in 28 minutes, including 4 offensive rebounds and wonderful playmaking—a robust case for Sixth Man of the Yr.
#5 – Kristaps Porziņģis’ mobility Is vital
Coming off an extended damage, Porziņģis’ mobility was in query. Final night time, he proved doubters fallacious by sprinting into early screens and taking part in with noticeable pace and fluidity.
In a single sequence, he sprinted to set a display screen for Derrick White, forcing Vucevic into motion. Then, he faked a dribble handoff and freed Lonzo Ball below the rim.
His agility additionally created alternatives for himself. On one other play, he used a ghost display screen to achieve separation, then attacked the rim like a guard driving in opposition to a close-out.
Porziņģis’ pace and decision-making had been encouraging indicators for his comeback.
#6 – Submit-up dominance from Kristaps Porziņģis
The Celtics returned to their high-post actions, utilizing Porziņģis to take advantage of mismatches in opposition to smaller guards. Even tall defenders like Josh Giddey regarded helpless in opposition to KP’s measurement and persistence.
Porziņģis displayed wonderful composure, utilizing fakes and energy dribbles to attain or draw fouls. He completed with three subject objectives and 7 free throws from post-up performs, including one other dimension to Boston’s elite offense.
#7 – Late changes by the Bulls
After an extended night time of switching on each Celtics display screen, the Bulls lastly began sending two gamers on the ball handler to pressure the ball to maneuver. After a stable sport at caring for the ball, the Celtics lose the ball 3 times within the final three minutes of the sport.
Nonetheless, after a few dangerous offensive possessions, the Celtics adjusted to ensure the Bulls had no alternative however to change Vucevic on the ball. They multiplied the screens to ensure the large man was shifting and concerned within the motion and ran as quick as attainable in transition. This lower quick the Bulls expectations of a comeback.
#8 – Nikola Vucevic’s sport confirmed why the Celtics’ protection might be crushed
The Montenegrin massive man is the archetype of a participant who can disrupt the Celtics’ defensive scheme with two key abilities: taking pictures and post-up scoring.
Typically, the Celtics assign Jayson Tatum to protect the opponent’s middle and let Porziņģis roam as a assist defender in opposition to the weakest shooter. This method labored effectively in final yr’s NBA Finals as a result of Daniel Gafford, for instance, couldn’t exploit Tatum with post-ups.
Nonetheless, Vucevic is a unique problem. He can assault Tatum within the put up or benefit from any swap to punish smaller defenders after screens. The Celtics can’t merely assign Porziņģis to protect him both, as Vucevic’s taking pictures would drag Porziņģis away from the paint, leaving Boston’s rim safety uncovered.
Vucevic’s versatility created issues for the Celtics all through the sport, highlighting a recurring problem of their defensive setup. As Marc Campbell noted last year, a taking pictures massive man with post-up means is perhaps the one sort of participant who can really dismantle Boston’s in any other case elite protection.
#9 – Jaylen Brown: one of the best in-game dunker
Jaylen Brown’s means to throw down posters is unmatched. Let’s not take his spectacular in-game dunks with no consideration.
#10 – Celtics’ NBA Cup hopes keep alive
Regardless of the Hawks’ win over the Cavaliers, the Celtics nonetheless have a path to advance within the NBA Cup. Per Khari A. Thompson, listed here are the eventualities:
“The Knicks blow out the Magic by 37 or extra and Bucks beat Pistons by 5 or extra. Orlando (+60) has a large benefit over the Celtics (+23) in level differential that may solely be overcome if New York beats Orlando by 37 or extra. If the Knicks beat the Magic by that a lot or extra, the Celtics would have the tiebreaker over Orlando. The Pistons (+28) differential would fall beneath the Celtics’ (+23) differential if Detroit loses to Milwaukee by 6 or extra.
The Knicks blow out the Magic by 37 or extra and Pistons beat Bucks (+29) by 7 or extra. Similar state of affairs as above, besides Milwaukee could be tied with Boston and would their level differential would drop beneath +23 with a 7 level loss or extra.
Magic win, Pistons beat Bucks by 7 or extra. The Knicks (+15) could be tied with the Celtics at 3-1, and since their differential is already smaller than the Celtics, any Knicks loss would give the Celtics the tiebreaker over them irrespective of the rating.
Magic win, Bucks beat Pistons by 6 or extra. Celtics would get level differential tiebreaker over these groups as defined above.”
