Activate an NBA podcast or speak present – it may be ESPN’s The Hoop Collective or The Lowe Submit, First Take or NBA At this time, or just about any platform that produces NBA content material – and see how lengthy it takes earlier than somebody mentions how unhealthy the Celtics are within the clutch. Chances are high, it’ll be throughout the first three minutes of the group’s title being talked about. The Boston Celtics and “choking” have merely develop into synonymous over the previous couple seasons.
In each of the prior two years, the Celtics have had adverse internet scores in playoff clutch time (-11.4 final 12 months and -14.2 the 12 months earlier than). Weirdly sufficient, Boston truly went 12-11 in clutch-time video games throughout these two seasons. However the eye check advised the story – they didn’t look good when it mattered most.
However this playoff run, it appears totally different. The Celtics have one of the best clutch internet score within the NBA and have a 4-0 document in these video games. They’ve a greater offensive score, defensive score, and help share within the clutch this 12 months than they did in both of the earlier two years. And by so much.
However why? Are they only lastly making pictures? Nicely, that’s all the time a part of the equation – it’s a make-or-miss league, and Boston has a better true taking pictures share this season than both of the earlier two.
Nonetheless, it’s additionally about their tempo. The Celtics was the group that performed quick for 43 minutes after which screeched to a halt for the ultimate 5. They stopped doing what was working for the complete sport and went away from their id. However Joe Mazzulla and the C’s have made a transparent effort this 12 months to maintain pushing the tempo down the stretch, and it has paid dividends for his or her crunch time offense – which, in fact, helps your crunch time protection.
Right here’s a typical crunch time possession from final season: isolation with 10 seconds on the clock, regardless that there’s nonetheless greater than sufficient time to run an motion and get a strong look. No screens, no off-ball motion, after which a poor resolution to high all of it off. Nothing remotely inspiring right here.
And right here, you’ve acquired the polar reverse. Sprinting the ball up the court docket, making fast choices with the ball as soon as it’s swung, and getting an ideal look with 16 seconds left on the shot clock.
Folks affiliate tempo completely with fastbreaks, but it surely’s much more than that. It’s about getting the ball up the court docket shortly and beginning your offense at 21 as an alternative of 14. It’s about getting a cross on the wing and – as an alternative of sitting with the ball and ready for the protection to get again in place – occurring the catch of the ball and attacking with drive. That’s what the Celtics have carried out extra of in clutch time this 12 months.
Trying forward
Boston has a preposterous 43.9 internet score in playoff clutch time this 12 months. Let that sink in for a minute, as a result of it’s removed from regular. They’ve been one of the best crunch time group within the league throughout a very powerful video games, and it’s not shut.
However, in a possible matchup with the Mavericks, they’ll meet their match. The Mavericks have a playoff document of 6-2 within the clutch and have two of the coldest clutch gamers within the league. It’s robust to belief anybody with the ball of their arms on the finish of a sport greater than Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. They’ve proven it previously, they usually’ve proven it throughout this playoff run. The C’s might want to proceed their stellar clutch-time play – and towards much better competitors than they’ve confronted to this point – in the event that they wish to take dwelling Banner 18.
