#1 – The Boston Celtics tried to match the Chicago Bulls’ tempo
Thus far this season, the Bulls are the quickest staff within the NBA. After a made basket by their opponents, Bulls’ possessions final 15.5 seconds on common, in comparison with the league common of 17.3 seconds and the Celtics’ 17.9 seconds. Towards the reigning NBA champions, Billy Donovan’s staff knew they wanted to push the tempo even tougher—they usually did.
After Celtics’ made pictures, the Bulls averaged 14.6 seconds per possession. They aimed to disrupt Boston’s protection by operating extra and stopping the Celtics from organising their normal schemes. The Bulls’ 129 factors counsel this technique labored. Nonetheless, the Celtics additionally accelerated their tempo.
Joe Mazzulla’s staff mirrored the Bulls’ strategy, shortening their possessions by a mean of 1.5 seconds after made baskets. By matching the Bulls’ tempo whereas leveraging their superior expertise, the Celtics scored 139 factors—their second-highest output this season.
Whereas the Bulls use pace to compensate for a scarcity of expertise, the Celtics tailored and proved their versatility, finally prevailing with their superior ability and flexibility.
#2 – Jayson Tatum’s effectivity masterclass
With solely 18 subject purpose makes an attempt, Jayson Tatum scored 35 factors. He took only one mid-range shot, focusing as a substitute on threes and pictures on the rim. The Bulls had no solutions. Their lack of rim safety was evident on this drive: Tatum posted up Lonzo Ball, drove to the rim, and Vucevic barely contested him.
The Bulls’ protection struggled much more after they went small, leaving Josh Giddey to protect Tatum. Tatum’s ending on the rim, now at 79% this season, continues to enhance. On this play, he remained calm, composed, and picked up, demonstrating why his effectivity has reached new heights. His jumper additionally seems as sharp as ever.
Whether or not the Bulls dropped or switched on pick-and-rolls, Tatum’s deadly pull-ups made life unimaginable for his or her protection.
They merely had no reply for his scoring brilliance.
#3 – Higher spacing opens up the rim
The Celtics tried 30 pictures on the rim final evening, changing 74%—a uncommon prevalence for this staff. Kristaps Porziņģis performed a major function in creating this dynamic.
By positioning Jrue Vacation and Jaylen Brown within the corners in opposition to weaker defenders like Zach LaVine and Coby White, the Celtics restricted the Bulls’ defensive rotations. This additionally compelled Nikola Vucevic into actions he wasn’t comfy with.
The Celtics’ use of screens and switches put the Bulls in lose-lose conditions. When the Bulls adjusted to contest threes, Boston shifted to attacking the rim, showcasing their potential to adapt.
#4 – Payton Pritchard’s unconscious fourth-quarter run
In simply 5 minutes, Payton Pritchard scored 19 factors—a efficiency for the ages. The variability in his scoring actions was outstanding.
After hitting a spot-up three, he set a ghost display for Jaylen Brown, freezing the Bulls’ protection and creating one other open three.
Subsequent, he drove previous Josh Giddey, utilizing completely timed steps to keep away from the protection and end on the rim with composure.
He additionally delivered spotlight performs, like this step-back jumper after practically shedding his steadiness:
Pritchard completed with 29 factors in 28 minutes, including 4 offensive rebounds and glorious playmaking—a robust case for Sixth Man of the 12 months.
#5 – Kristaps Porziņģis’ mobility Is vital
Coming off a protracted harm, Porziņģis’ mobility was in query. Final evening, he proved doubters fallacious by sprinting into early screens and taking part in with noticeable pace and fluidity.
In a single sequence, he sprinted to set a display for Derrick White, forcing Vucevic into motion. Then, he faked a dribble handoff and freed Lonzo Ball underneath the rim.
His agility additionally created alternatives for himself. On one other play, he used a ghost display to realize separation, then attacked the rim like a guard driving in opposition to a close-out.
Porziņģis’ pace and decision-making have been encouraging indicators for his comeback.
#6 – Put up-up dominance from Kristaps Porziņģis
The Celtics returned to their high-post actions, utilizing Porziņģis to use mismatches in opposition to smaller guards. Even tall defenders like Josh Giddey regarded helpless in opposition to KP’s measurement and endurance.
Porziņģis displayed glorious composure, utilizing fakes and energy dribbles to attain or draw fouls. He completed with three subject targets and 7 free throws from post-up performs, including one other dimension to Boston’s elite offense.
#7 – Late changes by the Bulls
After a protracted evening of switching on each Celtics display, the Bulls lastly began sending two gamers on the ball handler to power the ball to maneuver. After a strong sport at caring for the ball, the Celtics lose the ball thrice within the final three minutes of the sport.
Nonetheless, after a few unhealthy offensive possessions, the Celtics adjusted to ensure the Bulls had no selection however to modify Vucevic on the ball. They multiplied the screens to ensure the large man was shifting and concerned within the motion and ran as quick as potential in transition. This minimize brief the Bulls expectations of a comeback.
#8 – Nikola Vucevic’s sport confirmed why the Celtics’ protection will be overwhelmed
The Montenegrin massive man is the archetype of a participant who can disrupt the Celtics’ defensive scheme with two key abilities: capturing and post-up scoring.
Typically, the Celtics assign Jayson Tatum to protect the opponent’s middle and let Porziņģis roam as a assist defender in opposition to the weakest shooter. This strategy labored nicely in final yr’s NBA Finals as a result of Daniel Gafford, for instance, couldn’t exploit Tatum with post-ups.
Nonetheless, Vucevic is a special problem. He can assault Tatum within the put up or make the most of any change to punish smaller defenders after screens. The Celtics can’t merely assign Porziņģis to protect him both, as Vucevic’s capturing would drag Porziņģis away from the paint, leaving Boston’s rim safety uncovered.
Vucevic’s versatility created issues for the Celtics all through the sport, highlighting a recurring subject of their defensive setup. As Marc Campbell famous final yr, a capturing massive man with post-up potential is perhaps the one kind of participant who can actually dismantle Boston’s in any other case elite protection.
#9 – Jaylen Brown: one of the best in-game dunker
Jaylen Brown’s potential to throw down posters is unmatched. Let’s not take his spectacular in-game dunks with no consideration.
#10 – Celtics’ NBA Cup hopes keep alive
Regardless of the Hawks’ win over the Cavaliers, the Celtics nonetheless have a path to advance within the NBA Cup. Per Khari A. Thompson, listed here are the eventualities:
“The Knicks blow out the Magic by 37 or extra and Bucks beat Pistons by 5 or extra. Orlando (+60) has a large benefit over the Celtics (+23) in level differential that may solely be overcome if New York beats Orlando by 37 or extra. If the Knicks beat the Magic by that a lot or extra, the Celtics would have the tiebreaker over Orlando. The Pistons (+28) differential would fall under the Celtics’ (+23) differential if Detroit loses to Milwaukee by 6 or extra.
The Knicks blow out the Magic by 37 or extra and Pistons beat Bucks (+29) by 7 or extra. Identical state of affairs as above, besides Milwaukee could be tied with Boston and would their level differential would drop under +23 with a 7 level loss or extra.
Magic win, Pistons beat Bucks by 7 or extra. The Knicks (+15) could be tied with the Celtics at 3-1, and since their differential is already smaller than the Celtics, any Knicks loss would give the Celtics the tiebreaker over them regardless of the rating.
Magic win, Bucks beat Pistons by 6 or extra. Celtics would get level differential tiebreaker over these groups as defined above.”
