10 takeaways from the Heat outpacing and outshooting the Celtics

#1 – Boston drop protection

The primary eight factors from the Miami Warmth had been generated from pick-and-roll actions involving Luke Kornet. His defensive project was to remain low after the display screen, giving Tyler Herro area to both acquire velocity to drive or pull up for a mid-range shot.

Whereas the analytical strategy made sense—since lengthy mid-range pictures are the least environment friendly sort—leaving top-of-the-line shooters within the league free to get to his spot so simply will be problematic. Miami’s offense generated a number of pictures within the quick mid-range and was extremely correct from this zone (56% discipline purpose on 27 makes an attempt).

From these actions, Herro additionally drew fouls because the protection collapsed on him when he entered the paint, giving the Warmth straightforward factors. General, the Warmth drew 13 capturing fouls—excess of the Celtics’ 4.

When the Warmth ball-handlers weren’t capturing or drawing fouls to punish the drop protection, they may additionally flip to Bam Adebayo’s mid-range sport. The pick-and-pop is a superb various to beat drop protection.

Later within the sport, the Celtics determined to vary their pick-and-roll protection to place extra stress on the ball handler, however Adebayo is such an excellent connector that the Warmth offense nonetheless functioned effectively out of those actions.

General, with out Jrue Vacation, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics had a tough time containing Miami’s pick-and-roll actions involving Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

#2 – Luke Kornet early influence

With each Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis sitting out, Luke Kornet was probably the most impactful Celtic firstly of the sport. Along with his sturdy screens creating a number of area for the ball handler, Kornet was in a position to generate high quality offense and end on the rim.

His traditional two-man sport within the pick-and-roll with Jayson Tatum is thought to be lethal, however lately there has additionally been extra emphasis on his pick-and-roll synergy with Derrick White.

The Celtics’ depth on the ball-handler place is spectacular, and it’s nice to see them growing Kornet’s chemistry past simply Tatum.

Alongside his 10 factors in seven minutes, Kornet was once more essential in extending Celtics possessions with two offensive rebounds. Humorous sufficient, he completed the sport with solely offensive rebounds—six in whole. On this 21-point loss, Kornet had a +3 plus/minus, and the Celtics checked out their greatest when he was on the ground.

#3 – Boston small-ball wrestle

Regardless of the sturdy performances with Kornet on the court docket, the Celtics ended the second quarter and started the third with a small-ball lineup. Joe Mazzulla opted to make use of Torrey Craig to area the ground on offense and swap every part on protection. Nevertheless, with out Kornet, the protection fell aside.

To start out the third quarter, the Miami Warmth piled up pictures on the rim. Inside three minutes, they scored 4 baskets on the rim and earned three free throws. By the point Kornet was reinserted, the rating was 73–52.

The small-ball experiment towards Miami’s twin towers was daring, however the lack of preparation was apparent—Warmth gamers shouldn’t have had such easy accessibility to the rim.

#4 – Jaylen Brown wanting good within the post-up

Many of the Celtics struggled offensively final night time. Jayson Tatum made solely 4 of 17 pictures, Sam Hauser struggled to get open and had simply 5 makes an attempt in 25 minutes, and Derrick White turned the ball over excess of traditional. Nonetheless, there was a silver lining: Jaylen Brown’s post-up offense.

His gravity on these actions supplies a number of worth. When he posts up on an empty aspect, the protection is compelled to regulate. Within the instance beneath, Miami’s defensive shell collapses with 4 gamers dragged into the paint, leaving Jayson Tatum open from three.

The Celtics’ teaching workers additionally designed nice performs to present Brown advantageous positions towards weaker defenders. Within the play beneath, a display screen from Hauser permits Brown to change from Bam Adebayo to Tyler Herro—a worthwhile commerce for JB.

As soon as he obtained place to dominate Herro, Tatum simply needed to move him the rock and watch JB do the remainder.

Among the many 27 gamers with greater than two post-up actions per sport, Jaylen Brown ranks tenth in effectivity. He’s among the many elite this season on these performs.

#5 – Greatest offensive rebound efficiency of the season

One other optimistic takeaway from this sport was the Celtics’ skill to dominate the offensive glass. Per Cleansing the Glass, they prolonged possessions on 43% of their missed pictures. Even higher: in half-court possessions solely, the Celtics grabbed an offensive rebound on 51% of their misses. No different NBA staff has performed higher on the offensive boards this season.

From these putback alternatives, the Celtics averaged 1.36 factors per possession—effectively above their 0.94 factors per possession in half-court units. Nevertheless, this aggressiveness got here with a defensive price: Miami had extra open appears in transition—however we’ll get again to that.

#6 – Boston traditional turnover price

The Celtics struggled to deal with the ball—credit score to Miami’s protection for that. Led by Bam Adebayo, the Warmth utilized stress on Celtics ball-handlers and off-ball gamers as quickly because the ball was reside.

The Warmth featured many sturdy defenders—Davion Mitchell, Kyle Anderson, Kel’el Ware, and the shocking Pelle Larsson. Mixed with Erik Spoelstra’s defensive scheme, which combined zone with aggressive man-to-man protection, Miami compelled many turnovers… and people transitions crushed the Celtics.

#7 – Miami transition offense

The final two takeaways lead on to this one. Transition protection has been an ongoing theme for Boston this season. Whereas they began slowly in that space—regardless of being top-of-the-line transition defenses final 12 months—the Celtics ramped up over the course of the season and returned to the highest of the rankings, permitting simply 1.16 factors per transition shot try. However final night time was completely different.

On transition shot makes an attempt, the Miami Warmth scored an absurd 2 factors per possession (!!). Whereas capturing luck performed a component, this additionally confirmed how a lot Miami was keen to run and stress a Celtics protection that regarded extra fragile than traditional. Within the play beneath, for instance, you possibly can see the Celtics weren’t able to match the tempo because the Warmth regarded for a two-for-one alternative to shut the quarter.

Miami is much much less gifted than Boston, however they introduced extra power and executed their sport plan completely. They got here able to outrun the Celtics as a result of they knew they couldn’t out-talent them.

#8 – Miami was too sizzling from three

Miami did a fantastic job rotating and pressuring the Celtics’ ball-handlers, which can have contributed to Boston’s poor capturing from three. In the meantime, Miami was on fireplace.

Whereas Boston made solely 12 of 43 threes, it took simply 30 makes an attempt for the Warmth to transform 14 triples. A few of these pictures had been ones the Celtics had been keen to surrender to guard the paint—however typically groups shoot higher than anticipated.

On that subject, I got here throughout an attention-grabbing stat from Owen Phillips: the Celtics have had a top-five three-point protection in 16 of the final 18 NBA seasons. No different staff has greater than six such finishes throughout that point.

Feeling fortunate?

#9 – Kyle Anderson punishing Joe thoughts trick

A number of weeks in the past, OKC coach Mark Daigneault mentioned Joe Mazzulla was nice at enjoying thoughts tips with defensive matchup alignments. Final night time, Mazzulla went again to it—placing Neemias Queta on Kyle Anderson within the fourth quarter. The thought was to disregard Anderson off-ball, punishing his lack of capturing and gradual motion. However the Warmth flipped that towards Boston by giving Anderson the ball and letting him assault Queta one-on-one.

There’s little doubt Mazzulla will proceed to experiment with these sorts of matchups. That’s high-quality—even when it doesn’t work. These “thoughts tips” usually disrupt the opposing offense, however typically, groups nonetheless handle to take benefit.