Orlando’s protection is for actual.
The Celtics largest benefit heading into the primary spherical collection was their three-point differential. They shot over 48 threes a sport within the common season. Nevertheless, the Magic gave up the fewest (31.4 3FGA) and thru 4 video games, the collection has been performed on their phrases. Boston has solely obtained up 33 threes a sport, together with simply 31 on Sunday night.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley has opted to remain residence on Boston’s shooters and relied on his perimeter defenders to cowl Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis straight up and so they’ve accomplished that with nice success. Even when that’s Cory Joseph sizing up Porzingis or Tatum going downhill on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Magic have in impact turned this into one-on-one on the park.
To counter, all through the fourth quarter, the Celtics put two shooters within the corners and trusted that three killer whales might run some easy actions, hunt matchups, and get buckets.
Right here, it’s the Jays plus Derrick White working towards Paulo Banchero, Anthony Black, and KCP. Black’s the weak hyperlink and he offers a ton of area for Tatum to stand up for the pull-up three.
With the Celtics making an attempt to take benefit in semi-transition, the Magic are a bit out of types after they’re crossmatched. Banchero is trailing the play, so Wagner has to cowl two gamers within the halfcourt, Payton Pritchard within the nook and Tatum behind the arc. Black must be on Pritchard within the nook, however Boston instantly acknowledges the mismatch.
For Orlando, this can be a higher begin to their defensive possession. Wagner and Banchero are on the Jays and KCP is on White. A easy off-ball display places Brown in a spot to make the most of the smaller and lighter Caldwell-Pope. He misses the mid-range, but it surely’s good processing of the second. We might nitpick and say that JB might have hit White or swing swing to Horford although.
Once more, they’re making an attempt to focus on KCP with Tatum because the ballhandler, however as a result of Wagner takes a poor angle on Brown’s sluggish roll, Tatum delivers the move to him. He’s in favorable place within the paint, attracts a second defender in Wendell Carter Jr., and hits Horford for a nook 3.
Lastly, the three-man motion contains Porzingis as a substitute of Brown. They’re making an attempt to get Joseph on to Porzingis, however Orlando sniffs it out. Tatum calls an audible, drives on Banchero, and finally ends up hitting a patented fall-away jumper.
Typically, you shrink the sport from 5s to 3s to straight up one-on-one and superstars ship within the clutch.
