10 takeaways from Celtics vs. Sixers: a Christmas showdown

#1 – Boston offense from Horns Set

The Horns Set is without doubt one of the oldest methods within the playbook. A couple of occasions final night time, the Celtics have been capable of generate nice pictures from this set – and it’s enjoyable to see the number of actions you possibly can run from it.

Within the first instance, the Celtics used it to create a mismatch for Jayson Tatum:

The down display screen forces Yabusele, a former Celtic, to change onto him, and Jayson Tatum can play from there. The Celtics additionally like to make use of the Horns Set with three off-ball shooters. That is referred to as Horns Flare, the place the ball handler passes to one of many excessive publish gamers after which runs towards the opposite one to make use of it as a screener.

Because the protection learn the system effectively, it didn’t create a large enough hole for Payton Pritchard. Nevertheless, the Celtics are resourceful and turned this right into a pick-and-pop between Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis. That’s one of many causes Joe Mazzulla and his workers love this set. There are numerous layers and some ways to take advantage of it and punish the opponent’s protection.

#2 – Tyrese Maxey vs. Celtics pick-and-roll protection

Final night time, the younger Sixers guard uncovered one of many Celtics’ hidden weaknesses: pick-and-roll protection in opposition to fast guards. We noticed glimpses of this final season in opposition to the Cavaliers and Donovan Mitchell within the playoffs, for instance.

Total, the Sixers ran 22 pick-and-rolls final night time, 11 of which become pictures for the ball handler, and 11 into pick-and-roll actions. On these 22 actions, the Sixers scored 32 factors, giving them a 145 offensive score with one of the primary actions.

Why did it work so effectively in opposition to the Celtics final night time? First, Embiid made 4 out of 5 three-pointers, which boosted the pick-and-pop effectivity. The second motive, and possibly the largest takeaway from the sport, is the Celtics’ incapacity to include Tyrese Maxey’s velocity.

They tried a number of coverages. They iced the pick-and-roll, forcing him away from the middle of the court docket. They blitzed him, sending two gamers at him. They switched and tried to include him one-on-one, however none of it actually labored. Tyrese Maxey’s velocity, deal with, and taking pictures capability make him one of the tough guards to defend within the Jap Convention.

Plus, as he performs alongside gamers who can pick-and-pop, the protection has to select their poison, and this turns pick-and-roll protection into a relentless dilemma. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how the teaching workers adapts the defensive scheme in opposition to Tyrese Maxey the subsequent time the Celtics play the Sixers.

#3 – Al Horford shines once more in opposition to the Sixers

Al Horford is, as soon as once more, shining among the many stars. Towards his former crew and the 2023 MVP, Joël Embiid, he delivered an excellent general efficiency. He supplied the most effective protection attainable, enjoying as if he have been a DPOY in opposition to the previous MVP.

Offensively, he gave his greatest by shifting as quick as he may and making pictures from his ordinary spots. With Porzingis and Vacation out, Horford turns into much more vital as he stays the defensive anchor and should present spacing on offense. And he did it once more very effectively.

Total, the Celtics seemed their greatest when he was on the ground, with a +22 plus/minus in a loss. Nonetheless, he’ll need assistance from Porzingis and Jrue Vacation to proceed shining in opposition to the Jap Convention’s greatest gamers, like Joël Embiid or Giánnis Antetokounmpo.

#4 – Caleb Martin ignored by the Celtics and made them pay

With Jrue Vacation out, Al Horford took over within the beginning 5. The Celtics used the identical scheme they employed earlier than in opposition to Joël Embiid — the identical scheme that helped them beat the Sixers in Recreation 6 and Recreation 7 of the 2023 Jap Convention semifinals. Al Horford is Joël Embiid’s direct matchup, and Kristaps Porzingis turns into a roamer, a security close to the rim.

To take action, KP needed to stay near the basket and subsequently ignored one of many Sixers’ gamers. Final night time, the Celtics determined to go away Caleb Martin open, regardless of his earlier taking pictures surge in opposition to them, together with in the course of the 2023 playoffs. And at first, he paid off.

Nevertheless, after Porzingis’ harm, Caleb Martin become a classic Ray Allen, making 7 out of 9 three-point makes an attempt. This taking pictures anomaly is without doubt one of the causes the Celtics misplaced and exhibits the price of betting in opposition to variance. Most gamers within the NBA thought of non-shooters can, generally, make the opponents pay for that guess.

The query is, how do you react to that? In case you begin overreacting, you may lose your defensive id and worsen rim safety. In case you don’t react, you may find yourself being seen as a crew that can’t adapt. There shall be different video games like this — we’ll see how Joe Mazzulla and his teaching workers modify.

#5 – Jayson Tatum excessive pick-and-roll with Luke Kornet

With Porzingis out of the sport and Joël Embiid enjoying drop protection in opposition to Kornet, as he’s not a taking pictures risk, the Celtics needed to discover a strategy to generate open pictures for Jayson Tatum and the remainder of the crew.

To take action, they requested Luke Kornet to set the display screen as excessive as attainable. This generates house for Jayson Tatum between the screener and his defensive matchup. With Jayson Tatum being snug with each pull-ups and drives, the excessive place of the display screen offers him the higher hand in opposition to the protection.

Due to this fact, the Sixers needed to get the ball out of his arms, and that’s the place Luke Kornet’s short-roll capability got here in helpful. I feel the Celtics may want to make use of Jayson Tatum extra as a playmaker within the pick-and-roll. With so many alternative screeners on the crew, every with completely different preferences and abilities, this might create extra chaos, particularly with Jayson Tatum’s latest passing enhancements.

#6 – Boston’s incapacity to guard the rim with out Porzingis

Primarily based on the numbers, final night time was one of many worst rim safety performances by the Celtics in latest months. The Sixers made 82% of their makes an attempt inside 4 ft from the basket. This typically occurred when Porzingis was out.

The Sixers have three completely different scorers — Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, and Joël Embiid — who can exploit the cracks within the Celtics’ defensive shell. They’re all able to making a distinction individually, and when Porzingis isn’t there to play security, it opens the rim for the Sixers. The Celtics will must be wholesome within the playoffs in the event that they meet the Sixers (who would additionally must be wholesome, clearly).

#7 – Jaylen Brown’s third quarter

After a sluggish begin, Jaylen Brown took over within the third quarter, scoring 14 factors whereas the Sixers solely scored 16. Over 12 minutes, Jaylen Brown confirmed a brand new model of himself. As we famous in a earlier article, Jaylen Brown’s post-up sport has taken one other leap this yr.

Now, with this new weapon, he can higher assault mismatches. Within the motion under, for instance, Jaylen Brown makes use of a ball display screen from Derrick White to get the swap and — as an alternative of attacking Maxey head-on with a drive — he turns his again to determine a powerful post-up place the place the ball is best protected, and Maxey can’t resist JB’s energy.

One small downside: regardless of overpowering his matchup, he solely generated one free throw for ten shot makes an attempt within the third quarter.

#8 – Capturing foul: 404 not discovered

I received’t get into the officiating of the sport, as I’m not a referee and I’d slightly keep away from a majority of these conversations. Nonetheless, the numbers confirmed that the Celtics had a really tough time attending to the road. They solely had 13 free throws for 95 area purpose makes an attempt — the worst free-throw charge of the season for the Celtics.

The Sixers, with Embiid and Paul George, did an excellent job of defending the rim behind their defensive entrance line. Maxey, who was once more a goal, didn’t get caught fouling when he was overpowered by the Celtics. These numbers present that the Sixers have been well-disciplined — but additionally that the Celtics might need lacked aggression. Certainly, they shot over 40% from three, which leads me to assume the difficulty stemmed from the within sport.

After all, Porzingis being sidelined early within the sport didn’t assist — I’m positive he would have been in a position to attract some fouls because of his excessive post-up actions.

#9 – Payton Pritchard’s promising night time

Taking a look at Payton Pritchard’s field rating, you may really feel pissed off or assume he had a foul sport. Nevertheless, he confirmed nice issues on each ends of the ground. Defensively, he was capable of maintain up higher than anticipated when focused, and his hustle and rebounding stay essential for the Celtics.

On the offensive facet, he missed all of his three-point makes an attempt however was capable of ship nice passes for his teammates. The Celtics’ teaching workers is displaying how a lot they belief him by operating performs for him the place he needs to be the decision-maker and make the most effective decisions.

#10 – Nick Nurse confirmed us what was going to occur

110 Sixers, 105 Celtics, 1 second on the clock, 1 minute remaining within the sport. The Sixers need to inbound and shoot as rapidly as attainable to place the Celtics away.

Nick Nurse indicated the motion the Sixers needed to run; all of us knew the ball can be handed to the elbow… but the Celtics obtained caught, and Maxey delivered what Nick Nurse ordered.