What’s causing the Celtics’ (relative) defensive transition struggles?

In keeping with head coach Joe Mazzulla, three controllable points can pressure the Celtics into transition protection (a spot no participant, coach, or basketball-trained golden retriever needs to be).

Turnovers are apparent. A sloppy cross or a lazy, uncovered dribble will result in a dunk as a rule. Even the worst NBA gamers are knowledgeable finishers when given a numbers benefit and a head begin.

A missed layup is the scourge of transition protection all over the place. When a man goes to the rack at full velocity and misses, his momentum carries him out of the play and into the photographers (dangerously!) stationed toes from the baseline, giving the rebounding staff an automated numbers benefit. Gamers additionally usually fall to guard their ankles and take a look at to attract a foul. It takes some time to get again up, time the protection has used to gather the rock and race the opposite approach.

Three is a little more nuanced: offensive rebounders not crashing laborious sufficient (or skulking alongside the baseline as an alternative of curling towards the nail). That dangers leaving a defender (or two) behind the ball and unable to get again in entrance of their man. It’s poor ground stability, as coaches prefer to say.

Mazzulla’s clarification was from January, however you recognize what? He had virtually the very same quote two days in the past:

Unhappily, the repetition isn’t sinking in. In keeping with Cleansing the Glass, which strips out storage time, the Celtics are presently twelfth in transition protection (and twelfth in transition protection frequency). That may not sound so dangerous — it’s barely above common, in spite of everything! — however final yr, they led the league in complete transition protection and allowed the second-fewest transition alternatives. The Celtics are, talking modestly, a virtually excellent basketball staff, so barely above common counts as a big flaw.

Let’s use Mazzulla’s knowledge to interrupt down why the Celtics are defending in transition so usually this season. In fact, we’re nonetheless very a lot in small pattern measurement territory, but when the Celtics need to be working on all cylinders, there are some engine elements to de-gunk first.

Stay Ball Turnovers

As I discussed on the prime, almost all gamers at this degree are Wayne Gretzky on energy performs, regardless of who’s between them and the basket. That’s why it’s important Boston avoids sloppy turnovers like this:

In truth, annoying as they’re to observe, live-ball turnovers aren’t an enormous drawback for Boston this season. They rank fifth in live-ball turnovers per sport with simply 6.4 (they usually have been second on this class final yr!). Positive, there’s the occasional sloppy cross or mishandle, however that’s the value you pay for aggressive offense. Boston stays elite at this side of transition protection mitigation within the combination, though there are specific video games the place a couple of further turnovers right here and there could cause issues.

Missed layups

One of many secrets and techniques to Boston’s conventional transition-defense avoidance is that they’ve been a top-7 staff in ending on the rim during the last three seasons. Unsurprisingly, they’ve been a top-seven transition protection in that timeframe, too.

This yr, that pattern has slowed a bit. Boston hasn’t transformed significantly effectively, netting simply 65.7% of makes an attempt on the rim, fifteenth within the league and effectively under final yr’s 70.5% mark.

Jaylen Brown, specifically, likes to cost in at full velocity after which fall to keep away from injuring himself and/or strive to attract a foul. When the whistles go silent and the shot misses, the Celtics are left enjoying at a drawback:

Brown is often unstoppable across the hoop, however he’s struggled on the rack this season (simply 52%). It will appropriate itself over a bigger pattern however explains a few of Boston’s transition protection struggles thus far.

Lazy or inept offensive rebounding

It is a humorous one. Offensive rebounding and transition protection have sometimes been basketball antonyms; prioritizing one often comes on the expense of the opposite. However the tides are altering, and good groups (hi there, Boston!) have found out easy methods to do effectively at each. Simply final yr, the Celtics have been an above-average offensive-rebounding staff along with main the league in transition protection.

However self-discipline and energy are required to drag it off. As Mazzulla talked about within the soundbite above, there are two issues with crashing from the corners (one thing he admitted to doing extra usually this season). If nook gamers lower alongside the baseline for an offensive rebound that doesn’t work out, they find yourself on the fallacious aspect of the ball, resulting in an instantaneous quick break. And if gamers hover within the nook or dunker spot and are sluggish to react to the shot, effectively, they find yourself on the fallacious aspect of the ball, resulting in an instantaneous quick break.

That’s dangerous!

I don’t have laborious numbers to again this one up, however you don’t have to observe an excessive amount of Celtics movie to determine why Mazzulla is worried. What’s Tatum doing right here within the final two minutes of a tied sport?

He was annoyed after a non-call a bit earlier, however that’s the sort of on-court tantrum at an important time that will make any coach mad (and drive Mazzulla frothing-at-the-mouth rabid).

Or right here, when Jaylen Brown weirdly takes a step alongside the baseline earlier than casually jogging again from the nook after Xavier Tillman misses a driving layup (a double whammy!). Whereas he’s crocheting within the nook, the Pacers have a 4-on-3 by the point the ball hits halfcourt:

Positive, the sport isn’t shut at that time, however we all know the way it ended! While you’re a staff nearly as good as Boston, each possession issues as a result of something can jumpstart a comeback.

So, how a lot is that this actually a difficulty?

Boston isn’t a live-ball-turnover machine. They’re lacking extra layups than standard; that’s one thing to observe, even when Brown will possible return to type. Maybe the cramped confines drivers see on account of Kristaps Porzingis’ damage are contributing, too. And as for the lazy/incorrect offensive rebounding? It’s laborious to think about a scarcity of self-discipline within the playoffs, though for a Celtics staff with nothing to show, it’d pop up repeatedly within the common season.

Boston doesn’t have many flaws, however that doesn’t imply they will ignore their relative weaknesses. Complacency isn’t a part of Mazzulla’s playbook, and I count on Boston to tighten up because the season progresses.