PHOTO: NBA.com
This content is taken from an article by Adam Taylor for Celtics Blog, translated into Italian by Marco Marchese for Around the Game.
The roster of Boston Celtics is equipped with several players capable of punishing opposing defenses from all 3 main shooting ranges. The Celtics can in fact structure their offensive phase differently, in order to be able to create numerous spaces. THE C’s they will have to face Dallas Mavericks in the series of NBA Finals 2024, a team that has demonstrated some difficulties in defending on the perimeter. Given the Mavs’ shortcomings in terms of influencing the opponent’s shot, it is reasonable to think that coach Joe Mazzulla can resort to already successful schemes and tactics during the Regular Season. Here is a breakdown of the main offensive weapons the Celtics could try to exploit to defeat the Mavs.
Quick cuts
If the Boston Celtics were to opt for a style of play with greater presence on the perimeter, they should first of all try to punish the spaces that will be created, through offensive cuts towards the opponent’s basket. The Mavericks tried to exploit Kyrie Irving in this way so far, for example in the final of the 1st Quarter of Game 4 against the The Minnesota Timberwolves.
If the Boston Celtics rely on offensive cuts to attack the rim, Jaylen Brown he is the main candidate to exploit all his explosiveness and his ability to drive his way towards the opponent’s basket.
The action in the previous clip shows how it is possible to create pressure towards the opponent’s basket without having to resort to schemes and tactics developed on the perimeter. We already know that the Celtics will have to face a crowded area when they try pick & roll plays, with Jayson Tatum o Jaylen Brown da ball handler. But what will happen when the Mavs defense is deployed and both Jays they will find themselves operating off-the-ball? In the previous play, Tatum received the ball after stepping back from the paint. Meanwhile, on the weak side Sam Hauser created a block for JB, who used it to cut offensively after receiving the ball. Additionally, Hauser later positioned himself in the corner after the defense collapsed, providing a passing option for a free-range attempt from beyond the arc. Trusting in the offensive cuts, the Celtics will test the Texans’ abilities to defend the rim, and at the same time test their playing skills on the perimeter. This is a good idea to face the Mavs defense, induced to turn their attention to the ball handler to create multiple offensive opportunities – enhanced by the possibility of inducing defenders to commit a foul. Furthermore, if the defense were to be able to withstand the driveboth Tatum and Brown can still impact from mid-range with theirs pull-up jumper. So far the Dallas Mavericks have shown that they can live with these opportunities, despite not being able to influence them in a constant and consistent manner.
Play at the top
Another way to exploit all the Celtics’ shooting skills from beyond the arc has been seen and reviewed throughout the Regular Season: the Horns set. Coach Mazzulla has an enormous wealth of schemes and plays under this paragraph, and they manage to generate infinite possibilities to hit opponents all along the parquet. The most frequent is the chin setoften applied during the season, but rarely seen during the Playoffs.
The previous video shows a typical execution of the chin set: il ball handler – after having indicated the scheme to his teammates by literally touching his chin – he passes the ball to one of the players located at the top of the perimeter, who receives it coming out of a block; in the meantime, after having given up the ball, the ball handler uses another block to create space and insert himself towards the rim – all, obviously, off-the-ball. In this way it is easy to free a lane towards the opponent’s basket. If the defense reacts quickly, the cutter can become a play creator short-roll with just a few seconds left, using the gravity generated by his offensive cut to serve a free shooter in the corner.
If, however, after making the cut you are not able to receive the ball due to defensive action, whoever built the block can slide in a turn to create a chin veerwhich offers the ball handler the possibility of attacking the rim while the defense tries to recover from the initial rotation on the first offensive cut.
The final result of this version is however similar to that of a normal one chin set offensive. The main difference lies in the pressure load on the defender responsible for marking the one making the offensive cut, depending on whether the defense has snubbed the block by trying to resist or has tried to hinder it – which, as seen in the previous clip, can create further spaces offensive. A variant of the UCLA scheme that the Celtics have often put into practice over the course of the year consists of the man who builds the block, who immediately afterwards stands outside the perimeter to be able to better exploit the spaces. The offensive cut in this case acts as a mere decoration to the whole, since the real objective of the play is to position a shooter ready to exploit the space generated by the fake cut.
Stack-action offense aka “Spain” pick&roll
Last season, offensive possessions in stack action they were one of the main strengths of coach Mazzulla’s tactics. This year it has been applied less frequently and, when it has been done, it has often been a diversion before the real offensive. However, given the Dallas Mavericks’ approach to defending on the perimeter, trying to exploit some plays of this type could allow some green-white players to score given the freedom of action.
Sam Hauser often reaps the benefits of these plays, and it makes sense, given his shooting skills catch-and-shoot. Also, get involved in these types of plays too Payton PritchardBrown, Tatum e Kristaps Porzingis could be a winner – especially if the receiver, Hauser in the previous video, may need 1-2 dribbles before attacking a closeout. Here is a list of the main areas from which the Celtics have originated their offensive sets this year, with the relative percentage of use of these plays (the higher the result in the ranking, the more often the Celtics have exploited that set or that position to attack opposing defenses):
- iron: 29.1%, 26th in the NBA
- Mid-range: 27.1%, 29° in NBA
- Short mid-range: 18%, 29° in NBA
- Long mid-range: 9.1%, 14° in NBA
- 3 point range: 43.7%, 1° in NBA
- Non-corner-3: 33.8%, 1° in NBA
- Corner-3: 9.9%, 12° in NBA
The following, however, are the accuracy percentages from each offensive position on the field (the higher the result in the ranking, the better the Celtics’ performance will be in those areas of the field).
- iron: 70.5%, 4th in the NBA
- Mid-range: 44.6%, 12° in NBA
- Short mid-range: 44.7%, 13° in NBA
- Long mid-range: 44.2%, 9° in NBA
- 3 point range: 39.3%, 2° in NBA
- Non-corner-3: 38.1%, 8° in NBA
- Corner-3: 43.6%, 1° in NBA
If the intent is to create space on the perimeter, trusting in the reputation of a lethal team from beyond the arc, try to exploit the stack action against a defense that has problems defending in that area of the field it could be a wise choice. Expect to see a lot of gameplay like we’ve seen previously. Plays of this type have proven functional and fruitful over the course of the year against teams whose defensive phase on the perimeter was not very incisive, and they seem logical choices to implement in the NBA Finals series against Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and his companions. Of course, change is always constant. Adjustments and improvements are the bread and butter of the Playoffs, and that includes opting for certain choices and setting aside others. The anticipation before Game 1 is growing anxiously, and coach Joe Mazzulla is expected to have some new moves in store in the upcoming chess match.
2024-06-06 02:01:14
#Celtics #create #spaces #Mavs #defense
