Substance over style: small ball, double bigs, and everything in between is an option for Boston

What did the Celtics change after a shocking loss to the Warmth in Recreation 2? Not a lot. Certain, they tightened up just a few issues right here and there. It’s the postseason in any case and that requires extra intesity and focus. After ending fourth in opponent three-point proportion within the common season, they cleaned up their closeouts on the perimeter and allowed fewer triples within the ensuing Video games 3, 4, and 5 mixed.

Offensively, they took to activity the league’s fifth greatest protection and blew them out in all their wins. They continued to punish mismatches, stored their turnovers down, and sure, shot a ton of threes. That is usually been their M.O.

However as they are saying, the NBA Playoffs are all about changes and changes to these changes and there could also be an even bigger reckoning of kinds heading in to Spherical 2 and (knocks on wooden) past.

And the Celtics shall be prepared.

“One of many issues coming into the season was having the ability to win in numerous methods with completely different lineups,” head coach Joe Mazzulla stated after eliminating the Warmth in Recreation 5. “Even when KP was wholesome, we nonetheless performed small. We did a bunch of various stuff. We performed double bigs. We simply must develop a bunch of various identities to have the ability to get into completely different playoff collection when you have got completely different matchups. We’ve been in a position to try this as a result of the fellows [have] an consideration to element and their buy-in in the direction of making probably the most sense, doing no matter it takes to win that individual sport and having completely different identities.”

Beating a banged up Warmth staff together with your strengths is one factor, however taking part in outdoors of your consolation zone and profitable 4 video games is one other.

Whether or not it’s the Cavaliers or Magic, each potential opponents are huge with frontcourts of Jarrett Allen (6’9) and Evan Mobley (6’11) or Franz Wagner (6’10), Paolo Banchero (6’10), and Wendell Carter Jr. (6’10). In lots of Boston’s losses, opposing groups have been capable of sluggish the Celtics down and crash the offensive glass.

Photograph by Ryan Stetz/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs

With Kristaps Porzingis out for almost certainly the complete collection, Boston may lean closely on taking part in sooner and faster in an try and create house. A lot has been made on how Luke Kornet and/or Xavier Tillman Sr. will fill in minutes for KP, however Mazzulla may simply flip the script and play Oshae Brissett or Jaden Springer because the eighth man off the bench in an effort to hurry up and house out the sport.

On the opposite facet of the Jap Convention bracket, the winner of Knicks-Pacers will pose a distinct downside and the gears must swap once more. Assuming the Celtics advance and Porzingis returns by the convention finals, they’ll be up towards both guard-heavy staff. Once more, that might name for an additional costume change for the Cs. Boston leaned closely into their defensive strengths towards Miami and so they’ll want that much more vs. Tyrese Haliburton or Jalen Brunson. Might the Celtics play double bigs to shore up their rim safety? Might Mazzulla elect to match measurement and pace and play extra three guard lineups? We’ll see.

Photograph by Matthew Stockman/Getty Photographs

Additional down the highway, it is exhausting to not daydream what a possible Finals may look liike towards two titans who’ve already began their second spherical collection. The Nuggets and Timberwolves are huge and larger and simply as loaded with expertise.

In a approach, consider Denver and Minnesota as some amalgamation of the remaining East groups. Image the Magic with Brunson or Haliburton on the controls in Cleveland. That is Jamal Murray backed up by Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. or KAT and Gobert fronted by Anthony Edwards. Within the quest for an additional Larry O’Brien, Boston’s id change might require a telephone sales space and a cape.