#1 – Indiana aggressive from the leap
The Indiana Pacers discovered their classes from the earlier recreation and went on the rim this time. On December twenty seventh, Indiana had solely 15 makes an attempt on the rim and generated solely 9 taking pictures fouls. Final evening, they generated 14 taking pictures fouls and 27 photographs on the rim.
Whereas the Pacers turned on the aggression, the Boston Celtics reverted to dangerous habits. They weren’t driving a lot, didn’t generate many rim makes an attempt, and solely made 12 free throws. In a recreation the place the taking pictures went chilly, they paid the worth for his or her lack of aggression and let the opposite staff set the tempo and play in their very own tempo.
We additionally observed that the Celtics didn’t run their offense as quick as they did within the earlier recreation, nor did they use the empty-side offense as a lot. It’s unusual to see a staff not apply what labored simply two days earlier than.
#2 – How Indiana focused Horford drop
With out Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics alternated between a switch-all protection and a drop protection, however nothing actually labored out final evening. When the Celtics have been in drop protection, the Pacers ran a number of screens in the course of the court docket to maintain Al Horford again and generate a pocket of area the place Pacers guards might drive and end over the veteran.
Within the play under, they used a Veer Motion the place Turner set a ball-screen after which an off-ball display screen, which put Al Horford and the Celtics protection on their heels:
Due to this fact, the Celtics determined to modify to guard Horford, because the drop protection was uncovered by the screens and Nembhard’s mid-range taking pictures. When this occurred, the Pacers might choose who they wished to assault. Myles Turner used his post-up recreation in opposition to anybody, however the primary Pacers goal was Sam Hauser.
#3 – Sam Hauser continuously attacked
Sam Hauser had a goal on his again all recreation, and everybody might see the pink dot. With a number of ball handlers, the Pacers made the Celtics style their very own medication by focusing on the worst defensive gamers and attacking one-on-one. Sure, Sam Hauser isn’t a foul defender, however he has limitations.
Towards Pascal Siakam, he isn’t robust or tall sufficient, and in opposition to Tyrese Haliburton or Andrew Nembhard, he lacks the lateral mobility to include them correctly.
But, the most important difficulty along with his protection considerations his off-ball focus and skill to learn the sport. Nevertheless, he wasn’t the one one final evening to look unconcerned with off-ball protection.
#4 – Celtics off-ball protection
Final evening, the Celtics’ off-ball protection was something however good. They obtained caught sleeping on many actions and allowed the Pacers to punish them. The sport had simply began, and the Celtics already forgot to comply with Pascal Siakam on a backdoor lower.
A few minutes later, on a baseline motion, they obtained tricked on a easy zoom motion. Jaylen Brown didn’t comply with Haliburton, so Sam Hauser adopted him over the screens and forgot to modify on the second display screen. Jaylen Brown remained floating in the course of the motion and froze when Haliburton delivered an important no-look go to Myles Turner. One other instance of lack of preparation and communication from the Celtics protection.
Later within the recreation, there’s a possession the place it’s laborious to say if the Celtics are in particular person protection, zone protection, or simply misplaced within the center.
Bennedict Mathurin discovered himself alone in the course of the Celtics protection and made a straightforward jumper. Just a few seconds later, we noticed Jayson Tatum telling Jaylen Brown that he must be decrease and nearer to them for this defensive protection.
No must get into all of the open layups the Indiana Pacers had, plus we’ve already talked about their 28 makes an attempt on the rim—the dearth of rim safety with Porzingis out might be regarding if the massive man retains getting injured.
#5 – JB post-up retains getting higher
Nevertheless, not every part was dangerous. Many of the issues got here from the protection, although we all know the protection begins with good offense. By way of this irritating recreation for the Celtics and the followers, Jaylen Brown confirmed how a lot influence he can have near the rim.
He made 5 of his 7 makes an attempt on the rim and 6 out of seven from his paint leap photographs—a really excessive effectivity within the paint. This makes me surprise if Jaylen Brown ought to lean his recreation much more towards the rim. In the meanwhile this season, he’s taken the identical variety of threes as photographs on the rim.
On the rim, he has nice effectivity with a 69% accuracy, plus the free throws, whereas he’s solely making 34% of his threes. He hasn’t been above 36% from three since 2020-21, which makes me assume he might enhance his effectivity by focusing extra on post-ups and drives.
#6 – Derrick White within the dunker spot
As talked about, the empty-side offense wasn’t used as a lot as within the earlier recreation, which nonetheless bothers me, however anyway. Final evening, we noticed one other traditional tactical method from the Celtics with Derrick White within the dunker spot.
Normally, the Celtics use Jrue Vacation in that place. This has a double constructive impact as a result of it forces a small guard to be the low man assist, which disrupts the opponent’s standard rim safety.
Plus, as Derrick White is a brilliant participant who can’t solely end from there but additionally dribble or go, this provides an important various for the ball handler when entry to the rim is closed.
#7 – Indiana defensive work over display screen and on the rim
After getting uncovered defensively with their zone combined with particular person protection on the twenty seventh, the Pacers tailored and determined to battle over screens and change when wanted. As an alternative of forcing Myles Turner to be the one rim protector, they turned this activity from a person job to a collective one.
They wished to get the ball out of Jayson Tatum’s fingers as a lot as potential from pick-and-roll conditions, and the Celtics’ lack of rim runners made it simple to foretell the place the ball was going in the event that they doubled JT.
As soon as the Celtics began swinging the ball, the Pacers switched from one participant to a different on the weak facet to ensure they have been there to contest the shot. An amazing execution that additionally exhibits the Celtics’ offense might need been too simple to learn final evening.
#8 – Andrew Nembhard loves the Celtics
Just a few days after Caleb Martin, the Celtics confronted one other participant who appeared to show it on when he noticed inexperienced. Andrew Nembhard—who was off on the twenty seventh—delivered an important total efficiency. The offensive work was apparent, however his defensive efforts have been additionally spectacular, and his block on JT actually stood out.
On offense, the Canadian is aware of find out how to get to his mid-range spot, and the Al Horford drop makes it even simpler for him to get the place he desires.
His fixed motion drew numerous consideration from the Celtics protection, and he additionally delivered 8 assists, greater than some other participant within the recreation final evening.
#9 – Luke Kornet on T.J. McConnell?
On December twenty seventh, T.J. McConnell made life troublesome for the younger Jordan Walsh. Due to this fact, Joe Mazzulla and his teaching workers tailored for this second recreation. When the bench minutes got here up, we noticed right away that the brand new defensive matchup for T.J. McConnell was… Luke Kornet!
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Luke Kornet and the Celtics gave T.J. McConnell the Ben Simmons remedy, and it labored out fairly effectively. The guard solely made one basket, and the bench minutes with him on the ground couldn’t generate nice offense—the 80 factors per 100 possessions when he was on the court docket confirmed that.
#10 – Seeding within the Jap Convention
The season remains to be younger, however the Celtics will begin the 12 months nearer to the 4th seed than the first. What might be the influence later within the playoffs? Time will inform, however the street to the nineteenth begins to look more difficult than the 18th.
