What did the Celtics change after a stunning loss to the Warmth in Sport 2? Not a lot. Certain, they tightened up a couple of issues right here and there. It’s the postseason in spite of everything and that requires extra intesity and focus. After ending fourth in opponent three-point share within the common season, they cleaned up their closeouts on the perimeter and allowed fewer triples within the ensuing Video games 3, 4, and 5 mixed.
Offensively, they took to job the league’s fifth greatest protection and blew them out in all their wins. They continued to punish mismatches, saved their turnovers down, and sure, shot a ton of threes. That is typically been their M.O.
However as they are saying, the NBA Playoffs are all about changes and changes to these changes and there could also be a much bigger reckoning of kinds heading in to Spherical 2 and (knocks on wooden) past.
And the Celtics will likely be prepared.
“One of many issues coming into the season was with the ability to win in numerous methods with totally different lineups,” head coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned after eliminating the Warmth in Sport 5. “Even when KP was wholesome, we nonetheless performed small. We did a bunch of various stuff. We performed double bigs. We simply need to develop a bunch of various identities to have the ability to get into totally different playoff sequence when you might have totally different matchups. We’ve been in a position to do this as a result of the blokes [have] an consideration to element and their buy-in in direction of making essentially the most sense, doing no matter it takes to win that exact sport and having totally different identities.”
Beating a banged up Warmth group along with your strengths is one factor, however enjoying outdoors of your consolation zone and successful 4 video games is one other.
Whether or not it’s the Cavaliers or Magic, each potential opponents are huge with frontcourts of Jarrett Allen (6’9) and Evan Mobley (6’11) or Franz Wagner (6’10), Paolo Banchero (6’10), and Wendell Carter Jr. (6’10). In a lot of Boston’s losses, opposing groups have been in a position to gradual the Celtics down and crash the offensive glass.
Picture by Ryan Stetz/NBAE through Getty Pictures
With Kristaps Porzingis out for most definitely the complete sequence, Boston may lean closely on enjoying sooner and faster in an try to create area. A lot has been made on how Luke Kornet and/or Xavier Tillman Sr. will fill in minutes for KP, however Mazzulla may simply flip the script and play Oshae Brissett or Jaden Springer because the eighth man off the bench in an effort to hurry up and area out the sport.
On the opposite aspect of the Jap Convention bracket, the winner of Knicks-Pacers will pose a unique downside and the gears must change once more. Assuming the Celtics advance and Porzingis returns by the convention finals, they’ll be up towards both guard-heavy group. Once more, that might name for an additional costume change for the Cs. Boston leaned closely into their defensive strengths towards Miami they usually’ll want that much more vs. Tyrese Haliburton or Jalen Brunson. May the Celtics play double bigs to shore up their rim safety? May Mazzulla elect to match measurement and velocity and play extra three guard lineups? We’ll see.
Picture by Matthew Stockman/Getty Pictures
Additional down the street, it is exhausting to not daydream what a possible Finals may look liike towards two titans who’ve already began their second spherical sequence. The Nuggets and Timberwolves are huge and larger and simply as loaded with expertise.
In a method, consider Denver and Minnesota as some amalgamation of the remaining East groups. Image the Magic with Brunson or Haliburton on the controls in Cleveland. That is Jamal Murray backed up by Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. or KAT and Gobert fronted by Anthony Edwards. Within the quest for an additional Larry O’Brien, Boston’s identification change might require a cellphone sales space and a cape.