10 takeaways from Celtics’ hard-fought battle in Orlando

#1 – Iso ball vs. ball motion

Earlier than digging into the movie, the field rating from this sport has rather a lot to say. No matter particular person stats, the collective numbers inform the story of a hard-fought defensive sport the place the 2 groups had been very shut.

The Celtics, just like the Magic, scored 37 baskets with a 44% discipline aim charge. Each groups made a bit of over 20 free throws, and each misplaced the ball round 20 instances throughout the sport. Humorous sufficient, additionally they had comparable rebound performances, with the Celtics grabbing 33 defensive and eight offensive rebounds, whereas the Magic recorded 35 defensive boards and seven offensive ones.

But, there’s a clear distinction in how the buckets had been made. Whereas the Celtics solely had 13 assists, the Magic doubled that quantity with 26 assists—keep in mind, each groups scored the identical variety of buckets. Watching the sport, you could possibly really feel this distinction.

The Magic had no selection however to maneuver the ball; one man couldn’t beat the Celtics’ protection, however their aggressive method and glorious offensive design gave them a shot on the king—and they didn’t miss.

On the opposite finish, the ball didn’t transfer a lot for the Celtics. The numbers within the tweet under sum up how the Celtics couldn’t arrange their traditional offense. The drive-and-kick sport didn’t work properly, Jayson Tatum’s playmaking was lacking, and the Orlando protection tailored properly to the Celtics’ sport plan.

#2 – Jaylen Brown dominated the primary

The sport began properly with whole domination from Jaylen Brown, who created half of the Celtics’ factors throughout the first 12 minutes. He was aggressive towards the rim and made six out of his eight makes an attempt within the paint.

Jaylen Brown can energy over gamers like KCP or Jalen Suggs, utilizing his pace towards taller defenders. The Celtics set him up within the post-up—and as we’ve mentioned in earlier articles—he’s getting higher and higher at scoring and drawing from this place. His passing was additionally on show within the first quarter. We noticed an excellent flash, just like the alley-oop to Al Horford under.

Nevertheless, there have been indicators of limits in his sport that present progress he nonetheless must make. Two passes to Luke Kornet for alley-oops weren’t transformed. In fact, Kornet isn’t the best alley-oop goal, but it surely’s good to see Jaylen Brown prepared to make these passes on the transfer.

#3 – Orlando defensive rotation took away Boston’s traditional three-point pictures

For the primary time this season, the Celtics took fewer than 40% of their shot makes an attempt from three. The second-lowest three-point charge got here simply two days earlier towards the Bulls—might it’s a pattern?

Nicely, time will inform, however within the final sport towards Orlando, this was largely because of the Magic’s protection. Often, the Celtics create gaps within the protection by forcing a late assist or a double workforce following a mismatch.

Final evening, the Magic determined to keep away from double groups as a lot as doable and stayed shut sufficient to one another to keep away from over-helping. On Celtics drives, the defensive participant on the weak facet or the low man all the time stayed near the paint and solely rotated to the nook on the final minute, if wanted.

One other instance got here from the post-up, the place the Magic opted to not double workforce, even when there was a mismatch. As a substitute, they both fouled earlier than the shot when doable or defended as arduous and as excessive as they may.

Once more, this got here in a sport with out Jayson Tatum, but it surely’s good to see groups adjusting to the Celtics, forcing them to be higher and adapt. This sport will definitely function an excellent studying expertise in preparation for the postseason.

#4 – Payton Pritchard’s reference to Luke Kornet is blooming

There was just one help between these two final evening, but it surely sums up how a lot they’ve discovered to play collectively. The display placement, the short roll, and the timing of the move had been excellent, giving the Celtics two straightforward factors towards a ferocious protection.

Over the season, per pbpstats.com, Payton Pritchard has assisted Luke Kornet 8 instances, and Luke has assisted Payton 9 instances—it’s slowly turning into probably the greatest help combos on the Celtics, giving life to their bench. Each may be the passer or the finisher, and it’s nice to see the synergy between the bench gamers develop because the season progresses.

#5 – Boston’s paint scoring is healthier than you would possibly suppose

If the Celtics couldn’t play their traditional sport, there have been nonetheless some nice indicators of adaptation. As talked about, the Magic determined to not over-help and left everybody alone in one-on-one conditions. This took away the drive-and-kick sport and the same old catch-and-shoot seems—however the Celtics had been in a position to rating extra freely within the paint.

Whereas the Magic closed out on the three-point line, they turned uncovered within the paint. The Celtics did properly to take advantage of this technique. They created extra paint touches than traditional (28, in comparison with a 23-season common) and scored 1 level per paint contact! This can be a enormous effectivity, because the Cavaliers lead the league in factors per paint contact with 0.79.

But, this wasn’t sufficient to derail the Magic’s sport plan, but it surely’s encouraging for the Celtics’ offense, which tailored regardless of taking part in towards its nature with out its greatest participant.

#6 – Orlando assaults Boston’s double massive with motion

With Jayson Tatum out, Joe Mazzulla and his teaching employees determined to go massive. Nicely, the Magic appeared prepared for that. The double-big lineup can present nice rim safety, particularly towards Orlando’s poor spacing. But, Jamahl Mosley was ready to attract up a sport plan that made the Celtics pay for his or her dimension.

Dimension usually comes with an absence of mobility, so the Magic used that to power the Celtics to break down defensively. Within the instance above, the Celtics are in a zone protection with Porzingis and Kornet on the again line. To use the dearth of mobility, the Magic empties one facet of the courtroom and makes use of KCP on a “Danny Inexperienced Minimize.” The previous Nugget cuts from one facet to the opposite from the baseline, creating an overload of gamers to cowl for Porzingis. The closest assist comes from Kornet, however they’re each too gradual. Porzingis will get caught behind the exit display, leaving an open three.

One other instance reveals the Magic organising the offense in order that each Kornet and Porzingis find yourself on the identical facet. The Magic then execute a drive-and-kick to power extra assistance on that facet and open up the opposite facet of the courtroom. This well-designed offense creates an open three, capitalizing on an natural weak point based mostly on dimension and lack of mobility.

#7 – Porzingis post-up battle and free-throws feast

As talked about earlier, the Magic determined to not double-team Porzingis within the publish. This might have been very harmful for the Magic… in the event that they weren’t so massive! Usually, KP finds himself posting up smaller guards, however the Magic hardly ever have small guards on the ground. They’re robust and lengthy, which made it troublesome for Porzingis.

Nevertheless, Porzingis didn’t let the workforce down, discovering a method to generate straightforward factors. As a result of the Magic didn’t double-team within the publish, KP was in a position to punish the not-so-small guards with foul baiting and combating for place. Sure, he made solely 2 of his 10 pictures, however the massive man was in a position to generate 14 free-throws and transformed 13 of them.

#8 – Jaylen Brown’s heliocentric sport impacted his protection

With a 43% utilization charge final evening, Jaylen Brown had one of the vital heliocentric video games of his profession. The final time he had such a excessive utilization charge, per cleaningtheglass.com, was towards the Cavaliers in January 2021, the place he scored 33 factors in 19 minutes.

Such a excessive utilization charge takes plenty of vitality, even for the perfect athletes. Jaylen Brown is not any totally different, and we noticed indicators of fatigue late within the sport. Twice in a row, Jaylen Brown couldn’t comprise the younger Anthony Black.

Even on the ultimate play, he was late to rotate, leaving the nook open. It’s arduous responsible him, realizing how a lot he needed to keep on offense. It’s a reminder that they’re all human in any case.

#9 – Orlando discovered the important thing that opens the corners

Talking of the final play, the Magic confirmed as soon as once more that they’re probably the greatest groups at discovering pictures within the corners. They’ve the seventh highest nook three-point quantity within the NBA this season, they usually used it towards the Celtics when it mattered most.

For the game-winner, they pressured the Celtics to crowd one facet of the ground, then pressured Al Horford to be the primary to assist on the pick-and-roll. This created a drive-and-kick state of affairs that generated extra assist from the Celtics, and the Magic discovered the open man within the nook.

Within the Finals towards the Mavericks, the Celtics did an excellent job of limiting nook threes; final evening, they couldn’t. The absence of Jayson Tatum was an element. With Tatum out, the Celtics couldn’t play their traditional protection and acquired uncovered within the corners.

#10 – Extra turnovers than assists

Lastly, right here’s a stat we don’t see usually from the Celtics: they’d extra turnovers than assists final evening. It shouldn’t occur once more, because the Celtics are probably the greatest groups at caring for the ball and one of the vital unselfish offenses.

Aspect be aware: The Celtics misplaced the 2 video games during which they’d an above 18% turnover charge.