10 takeaways from the Celtics outclassing the Suns on both ends

#1 – Jaylen Brown’s effectivity

This has been talked about typically sufficient, so there’s no must dig an excessive amount of into it, however Jaylen Brown’s effectivity hasn’t met expectations this season. For context: among the many 50 gamers averaging greater than 20 factors per sport, he ranks forty fifth in True Taking pictures proportion, trailing RJ Barrett and Paolo Banchero.

But final night time, Jaylen Brown scored 31 factors on spectacular effectivity. Let’s take a look at how that was attainable and what it means.

Certainly one of his first buckets got here from a backdoor reduce. Brown’s reducing sport has kinda disappeared since he grew to become an All-Star, however that was an enormous a part of his sport when he was youthful. In his first yr within the league, he was taking 48% of his pictures on the rim. That quantity is now all the way down to 30%. Extra cuts—particularly within the Celtics’ spacing—might result in simpler pictures and higher effectivity.

One other space the place Jaylen Brown has struggled this season is above-the-break threes (the triples that aren’t from the corners). From there, he has been capturing simply 30%, whereas making 44% of his nook threes.

The pull-ups haven’t been falling for JB this season, and that’s why the play under is a good instance of what he might do to make up for it. With nice persistence, he remoted and attacked Nick Richards to complete above the rim.

Regardless of the dearth of total effectivity, there’s one play sort he has been mastering all season: the post-up. He is likely one of the best gamers on this space, and final night time’s sport was one other nice instance of why. Along with his bulk and dimension, he can get into the paint and end over his matchup.

One other motion that provides Jaylen a whole lot of freedom is when he has the ball on an empty facet. On the correct wing, for instance, that provides him loads of house to drive and assault with out assist from the protection.

General, this efficiency exhibits how a lot Jaylen Brown ought to get to the rim and into the paint extra typically—and the way he can profit from the Celtics’ elite spacing.

#2 – E book couldn’t prepare dinner effectively sufficient

With out Kevin Durant, it was anticipated we’d see a whole lot of Devin Booker. The guard took one-third of the Phoenix Suns’ shot makes an attempt and half of their free-throw makes an attempt. The quantity was spectacular, however the effectivity wasn’t excessive sufficient to compensate for the dearth of expertise round him. With a 59% True Taking pictures proportion, Devin Booker wasn’t in a position to carry out effectively sufficient to counter the Celtics’ technique: letting Booker’s teammates attempt to beat them.

The screenshot under completely illustrates what the Celtics have been attempting to attain. On the play, there’s a unfold pick-and-roll in the midst of the court docket with Booker on one wing. Word how shut Al Horford is to Booker on the weak facet in comparison with the remainder of the Celtics gamers and their matchups. The Celtics have been glad to allow them to play four-on-four so long as Devin Booker didn’t get the ball.

When Booker did get the ball, they put a whole lot of strain on him, clogging the driving lanes and sending additional defenders within the pick-and-roll protection. Even when Devin Booker began possessions off-ball, the Celtics’ protection trapped him as quickly as he touched the ball.

With the dearth of supporting forged expertise—and Bradley Beal’s one-point efficiency—Devin Booker tried his finest however couldn’t do something towards the Celtics.

#3 – Jayson Tatum likes to assault huge males

Final night time in Boston wasn’t a great time to be a Suns huge man due to Jayson Tatum. The Celtics’ go-to man spent the sport attacking Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro, and Nick Richards. Via drives, pick-and-rolls, and pull-ups, he was in a position to dictate the offense and punish the Suns on each change.

The spotlight of that huge man hunt was this dunk over Ryan Dunn, and the night time reminded us all what an enormous man hunter Jayson Tatum may be.

#4 – Horns Flare variations

A bit of little bit of X and O’s at the moment within the 10 takeaways. The Celtics used their basic Horns Flare motion. The play begins with a Horns set: two gamers within the corners, two on the free-throw line, and one on the high. Derrick White handed the ball to Porzingis on the elbow and ran proper to make use of Jayson Tatum’s display screen on the reverse elbow.

Within the first instance under, Royce O’Neale needs to guard Bradley Beal from Jayson Tatum and stays low… which opens White for 3.

Just a few moments later, the Celtics ran the identical play with the very same set and actions. Nonetheless, this time, O’Neale didn’t wish to go away White open and positioned himself greater… leaving Beal on an island. When Tatum caught the ball, it was too late for Booker to assist—two free throws for the Celtics.

Additionally they ran the identical play with Al Horford later within the sport.

Nice offensive design from the Celtics teaching workers as soon as once more. They’ve been doing nice work currently.

#5 – Attending to the road

As we simply noticed with Jayson Tatum’s reduce to the basket from the Horns Flare, the Celtics have been in a position to stretch the protection and get to the road greater than traditional. They’re one of many groups with the bottom free-throw charges (twenty seventh out of 30), with 17.5 free-throw makes an attempt per 100 area objective makes an attempt. This isn’t on account of dangerous refereeing, however due to Boston’s shot food plan, which is heavy on jumpers.

But final night time, the Celtics relentlessly attacked the rim by way of drives, cuts, and pick-and-rolls. Because of that emphasis on placing strain on the paint, they have been in a position to generate twice as many free throws because the Suns.

#6 – One other Luke Kornet basic

For the second sport in a row, Luke Kornet grabbed solely offensive rebounds. Is he one of the best NBA participant in relation to extending possessions?

#7 – Forcing powerful floaters

What stood out defensively was the variety of floaters and brief mid-range pictures the Phoenix Suns have been compelled to take—and the way effectively the Celtics disrupted them.

From that zone, the Suns are probably the greatest groups within the NBA, capturing 48% on makes an attempt between 4 ft from the rim and the free-throw line. Final night time, that effectivity dropped to 34% on 23 makes an attempt—and solely two capturing fouls have been drawn.

Nice self-discipline from the Celtics’ rim protectors, who managed to remove the layup whereas nonetheless contesting the floaters.

#8 – Defending the rim in any respect prices

Talking of rim safety, Kristaps Porzingis gave all he had attempting to dam this dunk try from Cody Martin.

Fortunately, it turned out to be nothing critical for the Celtics huge man. Nonetheless, it’s price noting that Boston was in a position to decrease the Suns’ rim effectivity regardless of Phoenix being one of the best staff within the NBA at rim area objective proportion (71%).

#9 – Brown & Kornet alley-oops

In a earlier 10 takeaways, we talked about Luke Kornet’s rising synergy within the pick-and-roll with Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. Final night time, we received a take a look at Luke’s creating reference to Jaylen Brown, too.

Through the fourth quarter, the Celtics ran two pick-and-rolls in a row for JB and Kornet. Each performs resulted in nice alley-oop alternatives—stopped solely by Bradley Beal fouls.

Luke Kornet’s development as a rim runner and Jaylen Brown’s passing enhancements have been on full show.

#10 – New 3-point document

The Celtics broke the document for many three-pointers in an everyday season. Any ideas from Joe Mazzulla?