Would the Celtics have had a chance against the Nuggets in the NBA Finals?

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After being bested in seven video games by the Warmth, it could be pure for some Celtics followers to root in opposition to them, however for Miami’s taking pictures to take such a large dip in The Finals — within the gents’s sweep, they made simply 33.8% of their threes after making 43.4% in opposition to Boston — results in questioning minds. “What ifs” start to trickle into the heads of Bostonians wishing their group had contended for a championship.

However the extra vital query to ask is, would the Celtics have been in a position to beat the Nuggets?

Traditionally talking, sure.

The Celtics have gone 5-1 in opposition to the Nuggets during the last three seasons, together with a 1-1 file this previous yr. Boston received the most effective of Denver in November, whereas the Nuggets flipped the script on New Yr’s Day.

Boston has stable items to throw at Finals MVP Nikola Jokic. Grant Williams earned the nickname “Batman” for his efforts in slowing down “The Joker,” and Al Horford is likely one of the higher publish defenders within the league in the case of guarding big-bodied facilities.

The 2 video games this season have been largely determined by three-point taking pictures.

Learn: If the Celtics shot the ball properly from deep, they received. In the event that they didn’t, they didn’t.

Of their win over Denver on November 11, the Celtics shot 43.2% from distance, and though the Nuggets have been simply as sizzling, it didn’t matter. Boston slowed down Jamal Murray, and their three-point taking pictures carried them to a win wherein they dropped 131 factors.

Nonetheless, of their loss on January 1, the Celtics shot simply 27.3% from three-point land, whereas the Nuggets have been scorching sizzling from in all places.

It was one among nineteen complete video games Boston shot under 30% from deep, 4 of which have been within the postseason (and all of these have been in opposition to Miami). In these video games, the Celtics went simply 7-12.

So, based mostly on historical past, the Celtics would have completely had an opportunity in opposition to the Nuggets. They’ve performed Denver properly, and if their three-point taking pictures was there, they have been golden.

However realistically? In all probability not.

Jokic had one of the vital spectacular playoff runs in NBA historical past. Which may sound dramatic, however he lately grew to become the primary participant ever to file 500 factors, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single postseason.

That’s obscene.

Nobody has been in a position to crack the code of the Jokic-Murray two-man recreation, and contemplating Boston was struggling to defend a Miami offense that has didn’t put up 100 factors in 5 of their final eight video games, Denver would have had them working in circles.

Murray’s shot creation mixed with Jokic’s mastery within the publish would have given Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics mind cramps, whereas Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope drained the identical threes that Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent have been making.

And when you assume the Celtics have been doing a horrible job defending in opposition to Duncan Robinson’s again cuts with Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler passing him the ball, think about the horror of getting to observe Boston cease Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, Jeff Inexperienced or Bruce Brown working to the rim with Jokic’s imaginative and prescient setting them up for straightforward lobs.

So far as the Nuggets’ protection, it’s been stable, however the problem would have been self-inflicted wounds, because it has been because the All-Star break.

The entire half about “if their three-point taking pictures was there, they have been golden” may be very true, however sadly, it’s precisely why Boston misplaced within the Jap Convention Finals.

Defensively, they left lots to be desired, however within the yr 2023, the Celtics misplaced a collection wherein their opponent scored 111 factors or fewer in 5 of the seven video games, together with 4 video games under 105.

Boston, a group that averaged 117.9 factors and shot 37.7% from deep within the common season, put up simply 105.3 factors per recreation and shot 30.3% from deep within the Jap Convention Finals. They shot under 30% in 4 of the seven video games, going 1-3, with the one victory coming by means of a miracle Derrick White buzzer-beater.

The Celtics’ inconsistencies and incapability to win when the three-point shot isn’t falling is the polar reverse of what the Nuggets have been all about of their first banner yr.

Denver has been outlined by unrelenting consistency.

The Nuggets have scored a minimum of 100 factors in all however two of their 20 video games, dropping a minimum of 108 in all however two. They’ve held their opponent to fewer than 100 factors six instances and have solely allowed 115 or extra thrice.

So far as their three-point taking pictures, the Nuggets have solely shot worse than 30% from deep in 4 video games, they usually received all 4 together with final evening’s Recreation 5 once they hit simply 5-of-28 from behind the arc. They’ve solely shot worse than 44% from the sphere twice, and as soon as once more, they received each of these video games.

And so they’ve solely had one recreation with greater than 15 turnovers. (Yup, they received that one, too.)

Jokic has solely didn’t crack the 20-point mark in a single recreation this postseason, and that was the very first recreation of the playoffs wherein the Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves by 29 factors.

He shot 50% or higher from the sphere in 14 of the 20 video games, grabbed 10 or extra boards in 17 of the 20, and had 10 or extra assists in 11 of the 20.

Even Murray, a tough-shot-maker who is commonly tasked with creating for himself, shot under 43% from the sphere simply 5 instances on this playoff run.

The Nuggets have misplaced simply 4 video games within the playoffs this yr, and it’s as a result of it doesn’t matter what occurs, they merely follow the sport plan. They run by way of Jokic and Murray, let Gordon get some drives in, don’t flip the ball over, and put on their opponents down.

It’s a relentless, repetitive method, and it’s why they’re as wonderful as they’re. The Nuggets are zombies. Basketball zombies.

In the meantime, the Celtics struggled for the very same cause–as a result of they have been incapable of using the identical method successfully. They turned the ball over, they performed with various ranges of effort on protection, their three-point shot wasn’t there, and their stars had far too many tough showings.

So, would the Celtics have had an opportunity? In fact.

However based mostly on all the proof proven, it wouldn’t have been a great one.

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