A few tweaks: 10 takeaways from Celtics/Cavaliers

#1 Tatum guarding the large man

On Tuesday, the Boston Celtics ended their sport in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers by switching up their protection and tasking Jayson Tatum with guarding the opposing massive man. The defensive alteration was profitable and helped the Celtics take management of the fourth quarter.

Of their second straight sport in opposition to the Cavaliers, Boston caught with having Tatum guarding the opposing massive. There are a number of explanation why having Tatum defending a screener is smart, however the major purpose is in order that when a change happens, no mismatch has been generated. Take the beneath play, for instance.

Tatum begins the possession by guarding Jarrett Allen. He switches onto Darius Garland as a dribble hand-off happens. One other DHO permits Tatum to change onto Max Stus, who he then trails whereas clogging the passing lane (which is why he retains his arm up.) Whereas Tatum is working as a trailing defender, Allen and Garland are coping with Jrue Vacation and Derrick White, whereas Porzignis has sunk in from the nook. Now, any potential line to the rim is lower off.

So, in that entire play, there are three hand-offs and two screens, but no benefit was created. Tatum’s means to change up and down makes him a critical defensive risk when he’s working in a system like this.

#2 KP because the roamer

A part of having Tatum guarding the large man is that it additionally frees up the middle to roam and provide weakside assist protection. Positioning the middle in a “roamer” function is one thing that grew to become a fan-favorite throughout Ime Udoka’s tenure, the place Robert William’s shot-blocking expertise had been put to nice use. Joe Mazzulla leaned on that defensive principal at instances all through the sport in opposition to Cleveland.

When watching the above clip, be aware of the place Porzingis is on the ground — he’s on the weak facet, working because the low man. As Garland penetrates and will get downhill, Porzingis rotates over. This clip doesn’t present a shot contest or a block, however the finish result’s indicative of the kind of strain a 7-foot massive man can apply when charging you down as a assist defender.

In Tuesday’s sport in opposition to the Celtics, Cleveland discovered success attacking Porzingis on the drive and penetrating off the perimeter. By switching the large man right into a roamer function, the Celtics had somebody who may rotate over and defend the rim each time the Cavaliers had been in a position to break down the point-of-attack protection.

#3 Defending the center

“No Center” is a standard defensive technique. Not simply within the NBA however in basketball usually. You wish to pressure ball-handlers and slashers to assault from unfavorable angles. In fact, as you face extra proficient gamers and groups, locking down the center of the courtroom turns into more and more troublesome.

The Celtics have been constructing good habits on this regard. They prefer to have their dropping massive push up towards the nail after which have a wing defender on both elbow. That approach, if the ball-handler penetrates, he’s bought three defenders to cope with, two of that are pinching in and pressuring the dribble. Within the beneath clip, we are able to see how that kind of “no center” protection can result in errors or on this occasion, a steal.

I left the dunk in there, too, as a result of, OH MY.

#4 Gettin nerdy with it: Operating motion for Porzingis

Porzingis is 7’2’’. On this play — which was a formidable ATO (after outing) — the Celtics use him like he’s a 6’9’’ wing. We might often see this motion run for Jaylen Brown, primarily as a consequence of his explosiveness.

The Celtics set a weakside stagger display for Porzignis. He curls round each screens and begins to chop towards the rim. Jrue Vacation finds him whereas he’s on the transfer (this is named a stampede lower), and Porzingis will get the simple end across the rim. That’s the Unicorn for you. He can do belongings you simply don’t anticipate from somebody of his measurement.

I beloved this play design. I beloved the execution. And I beloved seeing Porzingis being utilized in a approach most individuals wouldn’t anticipate from a middle. Extra of this, please.

#5 Making use of scoring gravity

Each participant within the Celtics (core) eight-man rotation has scoring gravity. All of them can hit their pictures from deep. All of them can assault closeouts and get to work within the mid-range or across the rim. That kind of gravity ensures Boston has wonderful perimeter spacing. So, typically, defenders are put in a bind. They should select whether or not they’re going to double or keep residence.

When these choices are pressured in a cut up second, it might probably result in errors. Allen had a type of errors within the early exchanges in opposition to the Celtics, resulting in a dunk from Brown.

Porzingis had set as much as arrange a again display for Brown, solely to ghost the contact and pop onto the perimeter. As Brown drives, Allen has two decisions: he can both slide his ft and defend the driving, realizing Brown will probably discover Porzingis on the perimeter, and there will probably be a scramble to shut out on the shot. Or, he can get well to Porzignis and belief that Donovan Mitchell will dig and Garland will rotate over.

With how deep Allen has dropped, it’s clear that he’s offering nail assist. Brown’s positioning and the very fact he had Caris LeVert on his hip means Allen ought to actually keep in entrance of him. As an alternative, Porzinigs’ scoring gravity is an excessive amount of of a risk, so the Cavaliers’ massive man opts to get well. Mitchell doesn’t dig; no person rotates over. Simple bucket for Brown.

Each member of the Cavaliers’ protection was too involved with guarding their man as a result of all of them had been high-level threats to empty their shot. As such, it was a defensive breakdown and a simple bucket for Boston. Scoring gravity can wreak havoc when defenses don’t discuss.

#6 Profitable the rebound battle

Boston received the rebounding battle 44-39. Tatum and Al Horford each had double-digit efforts on the boards. 13 of these 44 boards got here on the offensive glass. The Celtics have put a big onus on their means to regulate the glass this season, and use their rebounding efforts to regulate the tempo of video games.

Cleveland had been lacking Evan Mobley for each of their video games in opposition to the Celtics. Whether or not Boston may have saved an identical degree of management on the glass with Mobley within the rotation is definitely a good debate. However, the Celtics dealt with what was in entrance of them and proved why they’re a top-three rebounding workforce within the league at this juncture of the season.

#7 Gettin nerdy with it: Tatum including drag dribbles

A serious improvement in Tatum’s pick-and-roll sport has been his addition of a drag dibble. That is also called “dragging it out.” What this implies is that after Tatum comes off the display, he continues to dribble the ball across the perimeter towards a sideline.

The explanation that is such improvement is as a result of it forces the first pick-and-roll defenders right into a decision-making state of affairs. Due to Tatum’s standing as the most effective gamers within the league, each defenders will often observe him, leaving the screener open to both spot-up or roll to the rim.

Within the above clip, Tatum makes use of his drag dribble to attract two defenders, after which Boston makes excellent use of the benefit by swinging the ball round and drawing a defender out of place earlier than making the following cross.

When watching, you will note Strus and Allen go along with Tatum as he drags it out. Donovan Mitchell sprints as much as guard Porzingis. So, Porzingis will get the cross to Vacation, who’s open within the nook, which attracts LeVert out of the dunker spot, leaving White open and ending in a bucket.

#8 Some Lamar Stevens minutes

The final time Lamar Stevens noticed greater than 5 minutes of taking part in time was in opposition to the Indiana Pacers on November 1. He performed 6:56 in that sport and has not often seen significant minutes since. Nonetheless, with Luke Kornet out of the rotation as a consequence of damage, Mazzulla turned towards Stevens to supply some extra power and grit.

He wasn’t nice, however he wasn’t dangerous, both. Stevens stayed in entrance of his man on protection, moved properly on offense, and took open pictures once they introduced themselves. His efficiency was unlikely to have raised his probabilities of being an everyday within the rotation, however he’s definitely adequate to be relied on when his quantity is named.

At 6’6’’, Stevens will be relied upon to change up and down a number of positions on protection, present physicality, and be a possible choice when open and slicing to the rim.

#9 One other massive Horford efficiency off the bench

7 factors, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block: that was Horford’s statline off the bench. I’m not one to imagine the field rating tells the entire story. In actual fact, it barely provides you 50% of the story. Nonetheless, in the case of Horford’s impression, it’s start line.

It’s a luxurious to have somebody of Horford’s expertise degree in that sixth-man function. He’s a team-first participant who is aware of the right way to morph into regardless of the workforce wants from him on a game-to-game foundation. He’s a proficient screener, can quarterback a protection, has added a nook three to his sport, and is aware of the right way to area the ground — each on the perimeter and across the rim.

With Tatum defending the opposing massive, Horford was tasked with being one of many “change” defenders for almost all of his minutes. That didn’t section him. He held his personal on the perimeter and used angles to make up for any lack of foot pace.

Watch how Horford angles his physique and stays linked to Garland on this block. It’s such a wise approach of negating a pace deficit and is an enormous purpose why Horford seems to be timeless in how he operates on the defensive finish.

#10 Staying on monitor when the opposite workforce received’t go away

We all know the rating right here. A profitable place all via the sport. The opponent doesn’t know when to give up. They preserve chipping a approach on the lead and pull shut down the stretch. We’ve seen how that story performs out. Not this time, although. Relatively than crumbling on the remaining hurdle, the Celtics caught collectively. They executed on offense. They raised their degree of protection. They dug deep. They fought.

That is progress. That is what we’ve been hoping to see. The following step is stringing a number of wins collectively once they’re on this state of affairs. We’re nonetheless actually early within the season, so this development and the quantity of room they’ve left to proceed creating this mentality needs to be extremely encouraging.

Wanting forward

The Orlando Magic are up subsequent. The primary sport in opposition to them is on Friday, with the Celtics on the second night time of a back-to-back. Then, Boston will face them in an early sport on Sunday — This UK-based author is completely satisfied about that.

Orlando has been a thorn within the Celtics facet since final season. Boston has misplaced their final 4 video games in opposition to the Magic. After two spectacular and versatile performances in opposition to the Cavaliers, now’s nearly as good a time as any to be dealing with Orlando. Hopefully, the Celtics can throw out some curveballs and show that the Magic don’t have their quantity. Fortunately, we received’t have lengthy to attend!

See you all tomorrow.